Ranma the Vampire
by kriitikko
Summary: ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE In alternative world where vampires exist, a human girl Akane and vampire Ranma try to stop a conspiracy meant to destroy the peace between humans and vampires. AxR
1. Chapter 1

**Hallo, people!**

**Alright, this is my first Ranma ½ fic, but I should warn you, it is AU, alternate universe. The story is set in a fictional alternate world where vampires exist along with humans. I had the story itself pretty much planned before I decided to put it to Ranma ½ world, so there are some ooc'nes but I try, I try, to keep 'em as faithful as possible. **

**I've been inspired by numerous different vampire related stuff: books like Dracula, Historian, Salem's Lot, movies like Hammer- films and even some Blade films though I'm not fan of them, animes like Hellsing, Blood, Vampire Hunter D. I've also been inspired by things not related to vampires like Akira and 20'Th Century Boys. **

**Warning: I'm from Finland, so English is not my first language. This will most likely show in my text. **

**Pairings: this is not meant to be romantic fic but Ranma/Akane FTW. There will be mentions of other pairings also. **

**Disclaimer: I'm not Rumiko and I owe nothing. **

**Ranma the Vampire**

CHAPTER 1

_**History of vampires: **__The evidence indicating to the existence of vampires can be traced back to civilizations older than the ancient Egypt. Although nobody knows for sure when and where vampires began, they have been living with humans for thousands of years. During the time of the ancient Egypt vampires ruled over humans very openly, believing themselves to be invincible. However, as time went by, humans learned ways to destroy vampires and rose to resist them. Vampires went to hiding and slowly the majority of humans started to think of them as nothing but folklores and products of vivid imagination. Throughout the following centuries vampires kept their existence a secret, working from the shadows and behind the scenes to keep their power over the matters of the world. Only a small group of humans, the hunters, kept remembering the truth. _

_Still, the cat didn't stay in the bag for good and in the beginning of the 20'Th century the existence of vampires became once again a known fact. Of course this lead to the same thing as all the events when humans are faced with something they fear and do not understand: the war. The Great War, as it is popularly called, started in 1911 and lasted till 1945, claiming many victims from both sides. Vampires at the time, especially the most powerful ones, had however enough influence and power to make people realized they could not be get rid off. In 1945 the world leaders signed a contract with the most ruling class vampires, to maintain peace. _

_Today, vampires have influence and power in world politics and economics. The so-called "night people" try to survive, right there where humans also. Strict laws have been set to both sides: vampires who kill humans or feed upon humans without their consent are being dealt with, as well as humans who harm vampires without a proper reason. _

--

71 years after the Great War

Nerima City, 2016

Akane Tendo, 19, was not having the best of times. It was 2 am and she had not taken her naps during the day. Now when she needed to be widely awake and alert she felt her eyes closing. It didn't help that she was dressed in a heavy outfit of a protection squad's uniform, holding a heavy machine gun on her lap, stuffed in a moving van with eleven other people dressed in similar way. It was in a times like these she hoped she would have listened to her father and not join HPU; Human Protection Unit.

Of course such feelings of regret and hesitation only lasted for a second. Akane was the youngest member of the unit and took a great pride of the fact. She had worked extremely hard to get to this point, putting both her mind and body under a tremendous stress. Her father, detective Soun Tendo, had not wanted Akane to choose this kind of life, but had realized that despite anything he said his youngest daughter had made her decision. Akane had from very early on showed signs of wanting to join the HPU and had trained and studied to the point that would drive most mad.

The day she was accepted to the HPU, as the youngest member it had ever had, was the most rewarding day of her young life.

--

_**Human Protection Unit aka HPU: **__A protection unit within police force, specialized in hunting and eradicating level 3 vampires._

--

Yet, she knew, the hardships of her life were just starting. Now she needed to prove herself almost 24/7 to her fellow workers and superiors. She knew what they thought of her. _Little girl who wants to play tough, just because her daddy is Tendo. _It wasn't uncommon to have women working in HPU, but one as young as her was unique case.They all thought she would brake down in no time. And she was out to prove them all wrong.

The van stopped and all were commanded out. Moving in the heavy suit, which was designed to protect them from rabid vampires, was not the easiest things in the world. That is why HPU demanded from their members to be in a good shape and have fast reflexes. Akane had both, in some cases she was even faster than most men. This of course did nothing to help her getting better along with others.

She moved outside with the rest of the team. It was a night time. Akane resisted the frustrated sigh that was threatening to come out. Vampires were easier to take care of during the days when they had a limited space to move in. At night times they could rampage all they pleased. Akane looked around herself. There were some old buildings around them and another team seemed to be already taking actions around the street, but other than that she didn't see anything interesting.

The commander of the team, a huge man named Mogi, spoke loudly to everyone. "Listen up! About five hours ago then we received a report of level 3 activity around this neighborhood. The first team has already secluded the area. The nest is reported to be directly below our feet in the sewers. Mission is as follows: you will go to the sewers and eradicate all level 3's you can find and destroy the nest. Those that manage to get away will be taken care of by another team, already in their tactical positions. Any questions?" he asked.

No one made a gesture.

"Then let's move it!"

Before long Akane found herself below the streets of Nerima and down in the sewers.

"_Move in the groups of three. Move calmly and quietly. Let those bastards think you are easy prays_" commander Mogi's voice said from the earpiece.

Akane and two other members of the team, Hiroshi and Daisuke she ventured guessing, moved in the dark sewer tunnel. Seeing only through their helmet's nightvision lenses, everything was black and green. Somewhere in the tunnels they heard echoes of gunfire.

"_Level 3's in tunnel 4! Repeat, level 3's in tunnel 4!_" they heard the voice of another squad member talking in the earpiece. For a moment they heard again gunfire echoing. "_There is probably a dozen or so of them. We took care of five. Others are moving in towards tunnels 5 and 6!"_

"Some are coming here then" one of the men, Daisuke, whispered.

Akane readied herself. She held the machine gun firmly, knowing full well how fast those creatures were.

--

_**Level 3 vampire: **__Level 3 is the lowest of vampires, appearing as a monster to humans and as a rabid dog to higher level vampires. Level 3 has very little intellect or memories of its time as a human. They are moved by their instincts as they search for blood. During daytimes they hide in dark places avoiding the sunlight. Level 3 is the weakest of three different vampire types. They can't bare sunlight, they can't change their forms and they can't approach holy objects. The least bit of garlic or silver in their blood, no matter where injected, is fatal. Despite their weaknesses, they are also far faster and stronger than humans and can see in dark. If a person is ever bitten by level 3, his or her death and change to level 3 can not be avoided. _

--

Hardly had Akane and her two companions moved forward for long when they appeared. First one, then there were three and suddenly five level 3 vampires approaching. They were running on all fours through the walls and ceiling of the sewer, like huge insects. They all shared the same signs of level 3: sharp teeth, long nails, awful smell. Akane also knew that if she would see them without her nightvision they would have a very pale, slightly bluish skin and red eyes. It didn't matter who they had been in their previous life. Now they were beasts.

All three started shooting at once. Instead of normal bullets however, their guns shot small silver capsules that had a holy-water/garlic mix inside of them. It didn't take a lot of these to drop level 3's to ground. Just couple of seconds later all five were down, with just one still trying to move. A gunshot later moving stopped.

Gunshots had quieted in other tunnels also. "Tunnel 6 is clear, no casualties" Hiroshi reported, speaking to the little transmitter.

"_Tunnel 3 and 5 are clear also. No casualties. Check out tunnel 7" _a voice reported.

Before Hiroshi had time to say anything, Akane had already started moving towards the tunnel 7.

"Tendo, wait!" Daisuke hissed through his teeth, trying to catch the considerably faster girl.

Akane moved quickly, walking past the motionless corpses she had just been shooting down, to the darkness of the tunnel. She would not give them a chance to escape. That had been the promise she made long ago.

Hurrying quickly towards the darkness it didn't take long for Akane to see two level 3's coming towards her. One of them was wearing a typical schoolgirl's uniform. If Akane had time she might have been shocked that someone so young would be reduced to a mere animal. But she didn't have time. Thinking of life's cruelty would come later. Akane held her gun and shot. The level 3 girl was fast, she got couple of feet closer to Akane than she would have guessed. Yet while coming closer she also became easier to hit and was lying face down in sewer water soon.

The other level 3; a grown up man with his clothes soaked in blood, had stopped in his trails. Despite having next to no intellect, level 3 vampires moved amongst their instincts and his instincts were now telling him that it was dangerous to go on. The creature seemed to be thinking its options. Akane raised her gun again, intending to take the rare chance of shooting one when it wasn't moving.

Just then something went past Akane with such a speed, coming from behind her, that it knocked her down, right to the filthy sewer water. The impact also caused her helmet to fall off, robbing her earpiece and nightvision. Quickly pulling herself up from the water, Akane coughed, trying desperately to see something in the dark. Her grip from her gun fortunately had stayed and, instead of wasting valuable time to search her helmet in the dark, she opened the small flashlight attached to the gun. Trying to stay calm and not panic in this sudden and surprising situation, she moved her gun from side to side trying to see the vampire. And she did see him. Only not as she had expected.

The level 3 vampire, that Akane had been planning to shoot, was currently being held by his throat in the air. The creature struggled to get out of the grip which was obviously very strong, since the figure that was holding him didn't even flinch. Akane could only see in the dim light that it was a figure of a man, with a long black coat and black hair that had been tied to a pigtail. The man held the creature in his grip, just watching it, as if studying it. Then suddenly the man moved his hand a little and the level 3´s head fell from his shoulders. Rest of the creature stopped struggling. Man dropped the dead corpse to the water.

Then he turned to Akane. His coat was open and revealed black trousers and a red Chinese styled shirt. The man had a young face, looking not a day older than 20. However his red eyes showed his true nature, and when it came to vampires it was difficult to say how old they really were. Judging from his calm behavior and not so pale skin, he was not level 3. As all members of HPU, Akane was strictly forbidden of opening fire against level 2 vampires, unless it was for self-protection. So far the vampire had not even taken a step towards her. The sudden new situation of facing a vampire of different level with unknown intentions had Akane startled, and she forced her hands not to tremble.

Then the vampire took a step towards her. Akane immediately shouted "Stay right there!" Truthfully she was surprised of how strong her voice sounded.

The vampire stopped and then pointed to Akane's left side. "Your helmet is there" he said, slight amusement in his voice.

Akane glanced to the side for a second, before returning her gaze only to find the vampire gone. She quickly turned around, half expecting him to be there ready to attack her, but found nothing. She stood there until Daisuke and Hiroshi came, her heart beating madly in her chest.

**To be continued…**

**If you got this far, please leave a review. I know this chapter didn't have much but next ones will! No flames, please. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hallo all and thank you so much for encouraging reviews! They really made me happy. **

**This chapter was originally supposed to have Ranma in it, but he didn't show up. He will be in next chapter, not to worry. I'd like to apologize for any fans of Kuno-baby. He is not adorable dimwit in my story. **

**Thanks for reviewing: Irena, dragonbharg, Oddball1971, Janzo the Ashbringer, jdcocoagirl, My-name-is-foxglove, S., FalseExact, gen x and Ari-AdiAx. **

**Disclaimers: see previous chapter. **

CHAPTER 2

Detective Soun Tendo watched his youngest daughter wearily. It was never a good sign if she would appear to his station. Usually it was because Commander Mogi had something to complain about, like that Akane had broken some HPU member's arm. Akane always had an easily flaring temper and there were lots of guys in HPU wanting to smack her butt. Thankfully after the second broken arm the guys had got the message. He was dreading that such an incident had again occurred, but was surprised by the report she had to offer.

"A vampire killed level 3 in the sewers? Are you sure?" he asked in a slight disbelief.

Akane sighed in frustration. "Of course I am! I wouldn't come all this way here to report on something I made up!"

_And there is that temper again_, Soun thought. Sometimes he wondered how he could have three daughters with so different personalities. The eldest Kasumi was calm and peaceful, the middle one Nabiki cold as ice and Akane was like fire, sometimes calm but easily storming. Then again their mother, his late wife, had been an extraordinary person herself.

"Alright", Tendo sighed. "Start from the beginning then".

"Well, as I said, we were in the sewers to eradicate level 3s and I moved to the next tunnel alone to chase after some of them…" Akane started.

"Alone? What do you mean alone?" Soun interrupted, startled so much that even his long hair seemed to have stood up.

Akane rubbed the back of her short black hair with a slight embarrassment. "Well, the others are so much slower than me…"

Soun felt like crying. His youngest one was supposed to be his little girl, not a vampire slayer who jumps to danger without a second thought. "Akane…"

"I know, I know. Don't worry, I am not one of those who think too highly of themselves and get killed because of that. I know my limits. Couple level 3s are nothing. I wasn't expecting to meet a higher level vampire there" Akane justified herself.

"And you are completely sure that the vampire was not level 3" Soun stated.

"He didn't attack me in bloodlust and he spoke to me. How many level 3s do that?"

"He spoke to you? What did he say?"

_Your helmet is there_. Akane nearly said that aloud but then thought against it. Her dad was already tense without finding out that she had lost her helmet in such a critical situation. "I don't recall. I was too shocked then" she muttered, avoiding eye contact.

Soun felt like asking more but decided to move on. "Well, what did he look like?"

"He seemed young, not older than 20. He had a black hair tied to a ponytail. A very boyish face if a bit strong also. He was dressed all in black, except a red Chinese styled shirt" Akane told.

Soun blinked. "That's a rather accurate description of someone you possibly couldn't have seen for more than a few seconds in a dark sewer tunnel".

For some reason Akane felt a slight heath on her face. "Well, I have a good eye".

"Alright then. Do you think he is a level 1 or 2?"

Akane raised an eyebrow. "Dad, a level 1 in sewers?" she asked with a disbelieving voice.

Soun smiled. "Right. Never in a million years would one of those stuck-up noble vampires venture to a sewer" he laughed.

"Surely we're not all that bad" said a new voice.

Both Akane and her father nearly jumped out of their chairs when they noticed the sudden presence in the office. At the door stood a tall man, who seemed to be in his mid twenties, but who was in fact a lot older. His eyes seemed blue but in dark they glowed red. He was tall and well build, with short dark hair and dressed in an expensive suit and a gentleman's cane in his hand. This was Tatewaki Kuno, a level 1 vampire and one of the most powerful persons in Nerima City.

"Mr. Kuno. What brings you here?" Soun asked, trying to hide how startled he was.

"I was merely having a short meeting with some of your superiors, Detective Tendo, and decided to see what was wrong with our fair-lady" Kuno said in a manner that might have sounded pleasant to some.

It didn't have such an effect on Akane. The _fair-lady _might have sounded like an old fashioned compliment but she knew the real purpose behind it. It was mocking title Kuno had started to use when she had become the youngest member of HPU. Akane didn't care much about Kuno either. She had to endure the vampire, because he was one of the most powerful men in Nerima and her sister worked for him. However, she could see behind Kuno's façade. He might appear as a noble vampire who strives for peace between humans and vampires, but the way he spoke and sometimes looked upon humans, and even some vampires, revealed how little he thought of them. He considered himself better than others.

"I am doing fine. I was just giving my report" she said while keeping her desire to punch vampire straight to his nose down.

"Ah yes, I heard about it. What a strange thing. Why do you think that this lowly level 2 killed the level 3?" Kuno asked.

"There could be many reasons. Level 2s are known to sometimes go to the path of crime for power or bloodlust. Maybe to him it was just a sport" Akane ventured guessing.

"Did the vampire kill level 3 at once?" Soun asked.

Akane tilted her head a little. "No…actually for a while he just kept the level 3 in his grasp and watched it. Almost like examining it" Akane answered.

"Examining?" Kuno said aloud. "How strange. Well, I shall certainly do my part and contact some of my people to tell me if a level 2 of that description is known. Rest assured, oh fair-lady, that this Tatewaki Kuno will always help the authorities" he said with so high-and-mighty tone. Giving a small bow he left.

Soun changed his position in the chair. "I am not so much against vampires but I do breath easier when he is not around" he muttered.

Akane looked the place where Kuno had been. Was it just her imagination or had Kuno for a moment, when she had mentioned the possible examining, seemed startled?

--

_**The difference between level 1 and 2 vampires: **__Like level 3s, level 2 vampires were formerly humans who were turned to vampires. However unlike level 3s, level 2s maintain their memories and intelligence. They gain speed, reflexes and strength far above that of humans. They can see in dark, heal their wounds abnormally fast and they do not age. However, like level 3s, they can't stand sunlight, silver or holy objects. Loosing their head, heart and severe blood loss leads to death. The level 2s cover most of the vampire population. _

_Level 1s on the other hand are a different story. They never lived as humans, they were born as vampires from the union of two level 1s. Level 1s are the rarest and the strongest of all vampires. They are the so-called "nobility" of vampires, an elite group amongst them. Level 1s have power over the lower class vampires. Level 1s, like all vampires, are at their strongest during the night. However, unlike lower levels, sunlight is not fatal to level 1s. They however also have low tolerance for silver and holy objects, and die if they loose their heads or hearts. It was level 1s who signed the contract of peace with humans in 1945, and they have aimed to keep the peace existing. _

--

In Kuno mansion:

Tatewaki Kuno walked through the hallways with hard steps that echoed. A small, funny looking man appeared to take Kuno's cane.

"Sasuke, where is my sister?" Kuno asked with a harsh voice.

"Ah, lady Kodachi is currently entertaining herself in bathroom, master" the servant answered.

Kuno raised an eyebrow, as if he was going to ask for a clarification, but then thought against it. He marched to the mansion's huge bathroom. He could smell the blood before he was anywhere close the door. He pushed the doors open and entered to their bathroom. He stopped to look over for the naked bodies he could see. The huge pool had a crimson color for all the blood that had been spilled. Dark rose petals were also all around the scenery.

"Having a romantic evening, Kodachi?" Kuno said with a look of distaste on his face.

Kuno's sister was called Kodachi Kuno, also known as _The Black Rose _in some vampire communities, and like him she too was a level 1 vampire. When Kuno entered the bathroom she had just closed her black robes around herself. She eyed her brother, her eyes still red for bloodlust.

"An okay evening I would say. Not the best of my romances" she sighed, licking blood from her long fingers.

"You should think about the mess you make. Getting rid of these bodies is not always easy and we have a reputation to keep up" Kuno said.

"Ah yes, we need to keep the image of being friends of humans, you mean?" Kodachi practically snarled. Then she suddenly smiled. "Not for long anymore when the façade becomes unnecessary".

Kuno didn't say a thing but had a dark look in his eyes.

"Is something wrong, brother-dear?" Kodachi asked.

"It may be nothing, but there is a possibility, a slight one, that someone is on to us" he told.

"What? Who?!" Kodachi shrieked.

"Calm yourself, banshee! If I'd know that there wouldn't be a problem. Some lower vampire killed one of our level 3s in the sewers during the recent HPU mission. Apparently the said vampire 'examined' the level 3 first" Kuno spoke.

"That doesn't prove anything yet" Kodachi said.

"True, but better safe than sorry. Especially since we are so close now. No failure is allowed at this point. SASUKE!" Kuno yelled.

The little man appeared suddenly to the bathroom. "Yes, master?"

"After you have disposed of these bodies contact some of my men in level 2 communities. I want them to search for a vampire who killed a level 3 in sewers while HPU was present".

"It will be done, master" Sasuke said and disappeared in a flash.

"Was this vampire you talked about young looking?" Kodachi asked.

"According the eyewitness he looked to be around 20. Why?" Kuno said.

A wicked smile appeared to Kodachi's face. "If he is handsome can I play with him before we get rid of him?"

**To be continued…**

**Remember to review. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone!**

**Big thanks for all who reviewed: My-name-is-foxglove, Irena, jdcocoagirl and Inuyasha-No1. **

**Now, before you all start to howl my head of, I am aware that there is much ooc'nes in this fic, but what do you expect? This set in vampire world, it's hard to keep Ranma ½ characters the same. I've tried very hard to keep them as close to original as possible though. **

**Disclaimers: see chapter 1. **

CHAPTER 3

Hinako Ninomiya, a detective working in Nerima City's police force, sat waiting in her car on a sunny morning. She kept drinking the milkshake she had bought before coming as she observed her partner, detective Soun Tendo, coming out of his house. At the door with him stood a young woman in her early twenties, Hinako guessed that she must be one of his daughters. The woman with long brown hair and serene smile gave her father a thermostat and waved to him. Soun smiled as he stepped in Hinako's car.

"Good morning, detective Tendo!" she greeted cheerfully.

"Morning, Ninomiya" he politely replied.

"Where shall we go?"

Tendo gave the address and Hinako started to drive.

"Was that your daughter I saw with you?" she asked after a while, still smiling.

The smile he had on the door returned to Tendo's face. "My eldest; Kasumi. She is a wonder, always looking after me" he said and held the thermostat as if to prove his point. "She has really been taking care of us since her mother passed away. I'm really going to miss her".

"Is she moving away?"

"Not yet, but it's bound to happen. She is 24 years old and having a serious relationship with a certain doctor guy. Not that anyone would have believed they would last. The poor man was a nervous wreck the first time he came to take her out" Soun laughed.

"What about your other daughters?"

"Nabiki has already moved out to her own apartment and Akane is in HPU which makes it difficult to see her at all. Unless she comes to give a report" he muttered. "Which reminds me, I'd appreciate if you didn't mention who it was that gave this report to us".

"No worries, Tendo, my lips are sealed" Hinako said, making a small gesture with her fingers over her lips.

Soun took his thermostat. "Coffee?" he offered.

"No thanks, I'm fine with my milkshake" she replied happily.

Soun raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything. With her long black hair and long legs Hinako was the kind of woman that every man whistled after. Yet sometimes she acted like she was just a giddy child.

About 20 minutes later the two arrived to their destination. Hinako looked around herself. They were certainly in the district of so called night people, yet it didn't look like vampire area. Soun Tendo walked towards a shady looking door which had a sign _Wolf's Nest_ written above it.

"Wolf's Nest? Are we in a werewolf district?" Hinako asked surprised.

"That's right. Werewolves are great informers. They have their entirely own network of getting information and are not that fond of vampires" Soun explained.

--

_**Werewolves: **__Werewolves could be called hybrids or chimeras of humans and wolves. Originally created by vampires to serve as their daylight guards. The first sightings of werewolves were made in the early 18'Th century. Like a bite of a vampire can turn a human to a lower level vampire, a bite of a werewolf passes the condition. During the first full moon the transformation is described to be painful and the werewolf has no power over his actions, following only his predatory instincts. After the first full moon however, werewolf can change anytime of day or night for whenever he/she chooses so. Also they have comprehension then. However, if werewolf doesn't satisfy its basic instincts of hunting and killing every now and then, it will loose to its own instincts again. Although werewolves are not immortal in the same sense as vampires, they too have a fast ability to heal their wounds, except ones caused by silver, and are slow to age. _

_One of the reasons vampires started to loose their ability to hide and were finally revealed to all mankind was because werewolves no longer wanted to work for them and started to rise to mutiny. Nowadays they are watched over to make sure they go to their hunting trips to the forests so they won't go berserk. _

--

Soun pushed the door's open and entered to a dark looking empty bar that had all the chairs on the tables. Hinako was surprised of how large space the bar actually was and could imagine it full of drunken people partying. On the counter was a young woman, who didn't seem a day over 17 years old and who didn't even bother to raise her head up.

"We are closed. You are welcome to come back in the evening" she said with a sweet voice while reading a magazine.

"You know that I do not drink in here, Akari" Soun said, his voice humorous.

The young werewolf girl; Akari, raised her head and smiled when recognizing the detective. "Mr. Detective! What can I do for you?" she asked cheerfully.

"I need to speak with Hibiki. Is he here?" Soun said as he sat down by the counter, followed by Hinako.

"Sure thing. Wait just a moment" Akari said and disappeared to the back room. A moment later they could hear a cheerful voice shouting "Ryoga dear! You have visitors!"

"Ryoga dear? Are they dating?" Hinako asked giddily.

Soun shrugged. "Dating, mating. Whatever werewolves call it. Now don't let their appearances fool you. They're older than they seem".

A moment later a young man, or so he appeared to be, stepped out of the back room. He was dressed in black, with pants and a sleeveless shirt, and he had a yellow bandana pulled to his forehead, allowing his black hair to show. Like Akari, Hinako noticed, Ryoga Hibiki also had sharp looking teeth and nails and his eyebrows were surprisingly close to each others. Definitive signs of being a werewolf.

"Morning, Tendo. What brings you so early to my nest?" Ryoga asked, leaning towards the counter.

"Information, as always, Hibiki. Concerning of vampires or one particular in this case" Soun said.

"Is it about Kuno? Tell me you finally have something on that high-and-mighty bastard" Ryoga said smiling although he knew that it would not be the case.

"Sorry, Hibiki, we will still have to wait for him to go down. This is about a vampire, level 2, who late last night killed a level 3 vampire in sewers while HPU was on their task" Soun explained.

Ryoga scratched his head and thought for a moment. "No, sorry. Haven't heard of anything like that".

"I didn't really expect that you might have, but keep your ears open. We have a description of the vampire-"

"Description? The vampire was fool enough to be seen?" Ryoga asked, clearly surprised.

"According to our eyewitness he didn't even seem to mind being seen".

"Eyewitness?" Ryoga asked and eyed Tendo carefully. "I hope your daughter is alright".

Soun shifted in his seat. He so didn't like it that everyone knew her daughter, the youngest female in HPU. He decided not to answer. "According to eyewitness the vampire seemed to be in his early twenties. Had a boyish look but strong face. Black hair pulled in pigtail and dressed in black, with exception of red Chinese shirt. If you hear or see anything that might be related to this guy you let us know, right?"

"Sure thing, Tendo. Anything to let some blood suckers to suffer" Ryoga chuckled.

A moment later Soun and Hinako were walking back to her car.

"Did you watch how he reacted?" Soun asked.

"He seemed somewhat shocked when he heard the vampire had been seen, but other than that he didn't let out much" Hinako said. "So we can't be sure he doesn't know something already and is not hiding it".

Soun nodded. "I just don't know any reason why a werewolf would not be ready to rattle on a vampire".

--

"Okay, they're gone" Akari informed as she watched from the window.

Ryoga Hibiki immediately walked to the backroom of the bar and from there to the cellar. The cellar consisted on few rooms that were mostly used to store things they didn't need regularly but there was one room that was mostly empty. Ryoga entered that room and looked what there was: a small table that had a black coat thrown over it and a coffin. Ryoga walked to coffin and started pounding on it.

"Wake up! You have explaining to do!" he shouted.

A moment later the coffin opened and a face of a young man with a pigtail appeared.

"What is it, Ryoga?" he asked tiredly. "It's not even noon yet".

"Ranma, you were seen!"

The vampire blinked his red eyes. "You have to be more specific than that, Ryoga. What are you talking about?"

"Last night while you were out. You were seen killing a level 3".

The vampire, Ranma, rose from the coffin. He was still wearing the same black pants and red shirt. "I am aware that I was seen, Ryoga. Don't think that I'm so stupid that I wouldn't notice".

"Why did you let it happen then?" Ryoga asked, complete disbelief showing in his voice.

Ranma shrugged. "I hadn't meant it to happen. Not at first anyway. But I was too caught up with the level 3 to pay attention and then the girl already had her flashlight towards me".

"So it was Tendo's daughter" Ryoga muttered.

"What?"

"The girl that saw you is Akane Tendo, the youngest member of HPU. Her father is detective Tendo and he was here just now giving a very accurate description of you".

"That was the young tomboy girl I've heard about? No wonder really. There was definitely fire in her eyes" Ranma said.

"Ranma, you could have disappeared the moment she saw you. Instead you let her take quite a good look at you. Why? After you have been hiding for decades, why come out now?" Ryoga asked.

Ranma was quiet for a moment. "I guess I'm tired of hiding".

Ryoga was quiet for a moment. "Okay, if that's what you want. It's stupid but it's your life. Just know that the moment they figure out who you are you're going to have everyone after you. And I mean everyone. Army, police, HPU, Church of Jusenkyo, everyone! Are you prepared for that?"

Ranma had a smug smile on his face. "My life has mostly been just an endless battle. I'm grateful for this last century. I've been able to lay low and stay quiet. But it's time to show them again. Time to show that Ranma Saotome is back. Don't worry, old friend. I'll have my coffin removed from here. I don't want to cause any troubles for you or your herd".

"If it comes to that, Ranma, you can count on me to stay by your side" Ryoga said.

Ranma looked at the werewolf and smiled. "Hard to believe that you once tried to kill me" he chuckled.

"Yeah, well don't push your luck. Don't do anything stupid. Like that whole level 3 thing. Why did you do it? If you so wanted to kill couldn't you have chosen someone else?"

"I didn't kill it because I wanted to. I went closer because I wanted to make sure something. I had seen the man that level 3 had been a day before. Before he changed" Ranma said.

Ryoga shrugged. "One minute a human, next level 3. That's the way it goes, you know that".

Ranma looked Ryoga straight in the eyes. "Except when I saw him previously he had not been human then either".

**To be continued…**

**Please remember to review. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone!!!**

**Thank you so much for the reviews: FalseExact, My-name-is-foxglove, Darchias, Janzo the Ashbringer, Kurt Baros aka The Falcon, jdcocoagirl, James Birdsong, Irena, ranma girl 14 and ranma fan. You guys rock!**

**Answers to few questions: Ranma's cursed female form will appear in my fic but he is not cursed in the way he is in manga. Ukyo, Shampoo and Mousse will make appearances in my fic as will all the important Ranma ½ characters. You just have to be a little patient. **

**Sorry these updates take time. Aside of personal life I also have another fic currently under work. **

**Disclaimers: see chapter 1. **

CHAPTER 4

"Alright, put the cages ready! Move it, move it!"

Although vampires and humans are technically two different species, there are things the two have in common. Those who still thought of vampires as nothing but undead creatures sleeping in coffins and drinking mindlessly blood, would be surprised. In order to survive the previous centuries, vampires had mastered the art of appearing as humans and moving amongst them. Nowadays, after the contract of peace was signed, vampires worked in practically all the areas in the world. They had become company leaders, politicians and even, as ironic as it sounds, lawyers.

And, like many humans, some vampires also found their calling from the life of crime. Nerima City had numerous amounts of such individuals. While level 3's were hunted like wild animals, level 2 vampire criminals were treated much the same way as human criminals. They were investigated and judged. Some of them however had friends in high places to protect them. Such was the case with the five level 2 vampires who were currently in a dark basement complex with two caged level 3s.

"We're going to pull really good moneys tonight, King" one of the vampires said to another. The King, who seemed to be in charge, was a small, round vampire with a beard and face that resembled king from card packs, probably the reason for his name.

"Indeed. To think that humans have actually gambled with silly fights between roosters, dogs and themselves for centuries, when it is a fight between two level 3s that really turns them on" King vampire said.

"I for one have never really understood the whole gambling".

All five vampires turned to the source of the sudden intruding voice. They saw a young man with pigtailed black hair, red eyes and a long black coat.

"I mean, what beauty do people find in it?" Ranma asked with a very innocent smile on his face.

"The show won't begin until midnight. Come back then" King said.

"Didn't you hear me? I don't understand the whole gambling thing so I am not here for the show. What I am here for is information. I am going to ask some questions, and for each wrong answer one of you will…how should I put this…die" Ranma said very easily, taking few steps towards the other vampires.

"I think I've heard enough. Kill him" King said, sounding bored.

Two vampires took a huge leap, floating through air faster than a human I could detect. In a next moment both of their heads fell from their shoulders and Ranma stood unscratched in his place. King and the two remaining vampires took a step back.

_I…I didn't even see him moving, _King thought.

"Now…about those questions", Ranma started, "there has been some really shady level 3 activity around the area lately, and I thought you might know something about it. You gamble on these things so surely you keep an eye on level 3's around the neighborhood".

"I…I know nothing about level 3s" King said shakily.

Ranma smiled. "The tone of your voice reveals your lies" he said and in a flash he was gone.

King turned around in time to see his two minions loosing their heads and then suddenly Ranma was standing right in front of him. He grabbed King from his collar and shook him like a rag doll. King couldn't believe how powerless he, a level 2 vampire, felt at the moment. Ranma suddenly stopped shaking when something fell from King's pocket. Ranma pushed King away and he fell to his back to the floor. He raised his head to see what Ranma was picking from the floor and felt cold sweat when he recognized the small black box, no bigger than a matchbox.

Ranma opened it. "Well, well, well. Seems I have my answers already" he said when seeing inside the container. He then walked towards stairs to outside, completely ignoring King.

"You…" King shouted "Who the hell are you?"

Ranma turned around with a huge grin on his face. "I'm the best!"

--

In Kuno Company headquarters:

Nabiki Tendo, 21, was the very image of a hard working business woman. She had a short brown bob cut hair, expensive jacket and skirt that showed her legs and high heels. She was known as the Ice Queen in the company, due to her rather cold way of treating others and keeping nearly every department under her foot. It was said that there was only two things she valued the most: knowledge and money. She worked as the personal secretary of company's president Tatewaki Kuno and made sure she had all the knowledge she needed in her job. She knew Kuno had hired her mainly because she was human and Kuno wanted to appear as great friend of humans, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to do best job possible.

Out of mere custom she knocked to Kuno's office door before entering. Tatewaki Kuno was sitting behind his huge desk, dressed in dark expensive clothes and speaking to a phone.

"Have a nice flight, Kodachi. I'll speak with you when you return then" he said before hanging up.

"Your sister is going somewhere, sir?" Nabiki asked, always interested of collecting more information.

"To Thailand for a few days. She'll be back before weekend" Kuno answered without really paying attention to Nabiki.

"Of course. Wouldn't want her to miss the big party next Saturday. Is she taking a business trip?" Nabiki truly hoped for a negative answer. The mere idea of Kodachi the Black Rose representing the company made her suicidal.

"No, it's a personal family matter she has gone to take care off".

Nabiki carefully hid her sigh of relief. "Well then, sir, here are the documents that need your signatures and I wish you good night" she said, placing some documents to Kuno's desk.

For the first time Kuno really turned to look at Nabiki. "Good night? Usually you stay well after midnight. It's not even 11 pm yet".

Nabiki placed a false sweet smile on her face. "True, but I have been working here since 2pm and my sister called me. She has something to share with everyone in the family".

"Hopefully the fair lady is alright" Kuno said smugly.

"Sorry, sir. It was my other sister who called" Nabiki said and left the office.

Hardly had Nabiki left the building, when Kuno received a phone call on his private line.

"Master", Kuno's servant Sasuke said on the other line, "there has been an incident in the Gambling King's basement".

"What is it?"

"Apparently an unknown vampire attacked the place, killed all of his minions and level 3s and left".

"That is unfortunate. Did he steal anything?"

"Yes, master. A sample of red pills".

It took a moment before Kuno could speak again. "He took the pills? Is King there with you?"

"Yes, Master".

"Give the phone to him".

A moment later King's trembling voice was heard. "Lord Kuno, I am sincerely sorry for this. But there was nothing we could do. He was fast and strong, so very strong…"

"King, what did he look like?"

"Um…he looked young, not over twenty, I'm sure. And he had black hair on a pigtail and…"

"Dark clothes with a red Chinese shirt?" Kuno interrupted.

"Yes, milord!"

"Alright, King, you did nothing wrong. Now give the phone back to Sasuke" Kuno instructed.

"Master?" Sasuke's voice asked.

"Clean up that place and then get some professional mercenaries after that bastard. I want him dead in 24 hours and I want my sample pills back, do you understand?"

"Yes, Master. I'll start right away. What will I do with King?"

"You know what to do with failures" Kuno said and hang up the phone.

_Why is it, _Kuno wondered, _that just when the goal is in your reach all the problems appear as well?_

--

In Tendo house:

"More sake, father?"

Sitting in his chair, Soun Tendo raised his eyes to see his eldest daughter, Kasumi, smiling down to him. She had a long brown hair and serene smile, almost an image of her late mother. Soun smiled back to her.

"No, thank you, Kasumi. It is late and I have much to do tomorrow. Maybe it would be best to call it for today" he said.

"But, dad", Akane interfered, lying on a couch, "you haven't yet told me what you've found out about that vampire".

Soun sighed. "Akane, you know very well that I can't tell you about the case".

In an instant Akane had her best puppy dog eyes looking her father pleadingly. "But, dad…a little hint won't hurt".

Soun may have been a good detective, but he was bad when it came to forbid her daughters. With all his remaining will force he turned away from those eyes. "Akane", he said with a failing attempt to sound harsh, "you know I can not".

Akane pouted.

"Now, now, Akane" Kasumi said with her smoothing voice, "don't be like that. What if I make us all a nice cup of tea?"

Soun turned to look Kasumi for a moment. "Kasumi…is there something you want to tell us?" he asked.

Kasumi kept her smile. "Why do you ask that?"

"Although you truly are an angel to your father, Kasumi, the past hour you seem to have done everything to keep me and Akane from going to bed" he said.

Akane turned to her sister also. "Father is right. This is hardly like you. Usually at this time you are either in bed or with Dr. Tofu".

A slight blush appeared to Kasumi's face. "Oh my" she said quietly.

Just then sound of door opening and closing reached their ears. All turned to hall where Nabiki had appeared.

"Nabiki? What are you doing here?" Akane asked.

Nabiki raised her eyebrow. "So nice to see you also, little sister. I came because Kasumi asked me to".

"Kasumi? What is going on?" Soun asked.

"I'm sorry I have appeared so strange to you, but I wanted to tell you the news at same time, and not separately. And nowadays it is so hard to get you all in same place at once" Kasumi said.

"Just tell us already. Is everything alright?" Soun asked, his voice betraying his emotions now. Ever since the death of his wife he had become somewhat overprotective of his girls.

Kasumi smiled. "Everything is alright. I just wanted to tell you that yesterday Tofu asked me to marry him and I…I said yes".

For a moment there was a complete silence and then…

"My girl! My little girl is getting married! Oh, if your mother could be here, she would be so happy! My little girl!" Soun yelled and cried at the same time.

"Father, you're embarrassing her" Nabiki said half-heartedly.

"Congratulations!" Akane yelled also, hugging her sister.

"This is why I came here in the middle of a night?" Nabiki asked, not looking impressed. Then she allowed her icy façade to melt down to show her smiling. She rarely did that but it was always for her family. "Happy for you" she said.

"Thank you" Kasumi said to them all.

"This calls for celebration! Where is that sake you mentioned earlier?" Soun said, still drying his eyes.

--

In Tatewaki Kuno's office:

A phone rang.

"Yes? Sasuke, everything has been cleaned up I trust? Good. And you have already hired people to take care of our interfering friend? Who did you hire? Very good. Tell them; the sooner the vampire is dead the bigger their reward will be".

**To be continued…**

**There was supposed to be more of Akane and Ranma in this chapter, but I thought I needed to get these out of the way first. More of Akane and Ranma in next chapter, I promise!**

**Reviews, please? **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey!**

**Ok, as pleased as I am that this fic has gained such an audience, there's couple things I have to say. In previous chapter I already told that I have another fic under work also and (somewhat) personal life, so updates can not become any faster, no matter how nicely you ask. Secondly, few people said that I should write longer chapters. Maybe, but I am currently already writing longer chapters than I was used to in my previous fics, so please, don't ask that anymore. As a writer it's my choice how long chapters are. **

**Thank you. **

**Big thanks for wonderful, wonderful readers who reviewed: misplacedinba, ranma girl 14, dragonbhrag, My-name-is-foxglove, jdcocoagirl, Irena, James Birdsong, Mystical-Dreamer57, TendoAkane92 and Lerris. **

**Disclaimers: I'm still not Rumiko, maybe next time. **

CHAPTER 5

Don't you just hate it when you wake up in the middle of a night and can't get back to sleep? Akane Tendo certainly hated when such a thing happened. Working in HPU usually meant working during the nights. Rarely did they find level 3 nests during day time, although when they did they were always far easier to take care of. However, Akane didn't have weekend turns, so she had hoped to sleep her nights well and enjoy the days.

_Fat chance of that happening now_, she thought grumpily.

Akane closed her eyes and listened. She heard nothing. The entire Tendo house was quiet. Four hours ago then Kasumi had told about her engagement with Dr. Tofu and there had been much of drinking and crying, both mainly from Soun. Now he had passed out, waiting to wake up for a glorious hangover, Nabiki had left to her apartment, Kasumi had retired to bed and Akane was…still waiting to fall asleep.

She looked at the clock on her table by the bed. 3.05 am.

_For the love of Kami-sama…_

Akane sighed. She let her mind wander. _Kasumi is getting married… _Akane thought that if anyone deserved to find happiness it was Kasumi. After the death of their mother she had taken the role in the house. She had given up for much to look after all of them. They owed her to let her be happy, even when it did mean great changes. And Tofu Ono had been in love with Kasumi since he laid eyes on her, so everyone knew he'd try to be best husband in the world. Akane giggled when she remembered her silly schoolgirl crush on him at one time.

Tap Tap Tap

Akane blinked at the sudden sound and turned her head towards the source of the sound in the darkness. She looked towards her window.

Red eyes looked back.

Her body moved purely by instinct. She threw herself out of the bed, took a gun she had from under her pillow while switching the lights on. Though she had to blink her eyes few times for the sudden brightness, she kept her hand steady, ready to shoot.

Outside of her window was the same vampire she had encountered in the sewers. He was hanging upside down and smiled to her. Smile was not mean, it was almost boyish. He tapped the window again.

Scenarios of what might happen ran through Akane's head. If he attacked her, she would shoot and either kill him or get killed. Or she might shoot him now and either miss or be charged of killing a vampire that hadn't attacked her.

"Er, would you mind open the window?" he asked, still smiling.

It took a second for Akane to comprehend what had been said to her. "Why should I?"

"So that I can come in" vampire answered. "Is there a problem with that?"

"A vampire entering to a woman's bedroom in the middle of a night. Never a good thing for the woman" Akane said.

"True, but not every woman is the youngest member of Human Protection Unit and quite capable of defending themselves against the said vampire. Besides why would I want to harm you? You think if I'd want to kill you I would have given you the friendly warning?"

Akane was quiet for a moment before she took a casual step towards the window. "Whatever it is you are here for, you can tell from there".

Vampire nodded. "I don't mind. I like nighttime air anyway. Very refreshing. Is that why you have a nighttime job?"

Akane sat down on a chair, her gun still pointing straight to the vampire. "Did you come here to ask about me?"

"You're pretty interesting, but no. I believe you want to know about me, considering how police are now looking for me" vampire said. "So, what is it you want to know?"

Akane wondered if she was played fool here, but usually she had a good idea about different people, humans and vampires. The one outside of her window seemed to be honestly just having a chat with her. "What's your name?"

Vampire smiled so much that he's teeth showed. "Ranma" he simply said.

Akane nodded. "Okay then, Ranma. Do you usually go hunting level 3s in sewers?"

Ranma snorted. "Hardly. When I want to kill something I choose an opponent that can actually challenge me. That was just a mercy killing for the poor bastard".

Akane silently watched the grinning vampire. "No, there is more to this. You didn't just kill it. You watched it for a while, as if studying it".

Ranma's expression changed slightly. He seemed pleased now. "I knew it. You didn't disappoint me".

"Excuse me?"

"I knew that you'd have the right instinct on these things. I could tell it back then in the sewers. I knew you'd listen and be interested in what I have to tell you".

"And that would be?"

Ranma smirked evilly. "The reason I 'studied' that level 3, as you put it, was…because he was unlike any other level 3s I've seen".

"Meaning?"

"Since you work in HPU, you must know how level 3s are made, so to speak".

Akane nodded. "Of course. Humans are turned to level 3 if they get bitten by another level 3, or their blood is drained by a higher level vampire who doesn't feed them his own blood in return".

"Correct. So have you ever heard of a level 2 vampire who became level 3?" Ranma kept smiling.

Akane shook her head.

"Neither have I" Ranma said "yet that level 3 I killed…had been a level 2 the previous day".

--

In Thailand:

Kodachi Kuno, the Black Rose, had hardly been in Thailand for a vacation. She had kept traveling for hours to reach her destination, a military base she was now in. Her high heels echoed through the underground halls as she walked. She had two heavily trained guards with her, though she wondered if they'd be any use in actual situation. She was far deadlier than both of them together.

_Well, they might come handy as a snack, _she mused.

She walked right to the heart of the base, a large room filled with computers and screens, each one having a man with military uniform observing it. Only one person besides Kodachi in the room did not wear a uniform. He was young European looking man with blonde hair and dressed all in white business suit. When he spotted Kodachi he smiled and waved his hand.

"Ah! What an honor to have you observe our test with us, Mademoiselle Kuno!"

The man was Picolet Chardin III, youngest member of the aristocratic Chardin vampire line of France. Though in human years Picolet could be seen as old, he was born in 1906, being a level 1 vampire meant that he was still seen as a very young person. Still, Chardin was the main European ally of Kuno family and one of their most trusted comrades.

"Chardin, you know I do not enjoy these tests. I am only here because my brother was too busy to keep up an appearance" Kodachi said. "Now please tell there is at least something to drink around here".

"But of course" Chardin said and snapped his fingers.

"Sir, we are ready to start" one of the men watching the screens informed.

"Ah, excellent. Proceed then" Chardin spoke with a delighted voice and offered a chair for Kodachi.

She sat down as one of the men brought a cart with glasses, champagne and bottled blood.

"Very elegant" Kodachi said with a pleased voice.

"Thank you. Chardin family takes great pride of its class". Chardin offered a glass of champagne with few drops of blood to Kodachi. "And now, Mademoiselle, I'd ask you to direct your focus on these screens here".

Kodachi looked ahead and saw one screen showing a small camp within a jungle area. Other five screens underneath showed different places within the camp.

"What is this?" Kodachi asked.

"A refuge camp we set up for people in need of home" Chardin explained. "We have about 50 of them".

"Free test subjects" Kodachi smiled wickedly.

"Indeed".

"_Sir!_" a voice said from the radiophone. "_We have treated everyone in the area!_"

"Good work" Chardin spoke to phone. "Now come back".

Kodachi saw how a group of men, dressed in military outfits left the camp with cars. She turned to Chardin. "And now?"

"Now we wait. I hope someone is taking time".

--

Akane rubbed her temples. "Let me get this straight. The level 3 you killed had been, just a day earlier, a level 2?" she asked with a skeptical voice.

"Yep" Ranma nodded, still upside down outside of her window, smiling an innocent child's smile.

"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight".

"You don't believe me?"

"A strange vampire comes to my window asking me to believe something that has never happened before. Geez, I wonder what it is that doubts me" she sarcastically answered.

"Well, aren't you a funny one. Are you not a least bit interested?"

Akane sighed. She was but hell if she would say it aloud. "Look. Even if what you told me is true…why did you come to me? Why not go to the head of investigation department?"

"Because they are so boooooooooooooooooooooring" Ranma whined.

"And I am not?"

"No, you're something new. I have seen lots of different polices, HPUs and hunters in my time, and I recognize unique when I see it. As I said, you have that instinct. You could have started blindly to shoot me tonight or back then in sewers but you didn't. And you could have ignored me so far but you've been listening to what I have to say".

Akane suppressed the feel of pride. "And I am supposed to then explain this insane theory of yours to higher ups?"

"Not unless you want to get killed".

"What?"

"Kuno is a powerful man and he doesn't like people to pry to his business".

Now Akane stood up. "Wait, hold on. You say Kuno is involved?"

"One way or another. You know a certain level 2 vampire called the Gambling King?"

Akane nodded. "Yes, a gambler who is under Kuno's wings, though no proofs of course".

"Well, his business ran into a bit of conflict tonight" Ranma laughed "and I am sure, if you'd ask few questions, you might find out that they have been involved with a strange level 3 activity".

Akane didn't say anything.

"Well, give it a thought, okay. You should get back to sleep now" Ranma happily said.

"But, wait! How will I find you?"

"You don't. I'll find you. Now sleep" Ranma said.

Suddenly Akane felt dizzy while watching his red eyes. She took a few wobbling steps back and fell asleep right on to her bed.

--

Kodachi Kuno watched the screen. Her black eyes had turned red from excitement and she had an awed expression.

"I'd say test is successful" a pleased Chardin said.

"Successful? That was fantastic!" Kodachi squealed.

"I'm glad you liked the show. And the new product works even faster than the original sample".

"Send the information to our Nerima laboratory at once so the production can begin" Kodachi instructed.

"As you wish, Mademoiselle". Chardin took the phone. "Destroy the evidence".

A plane flew fast over the refuge camp, dropping something on the way. The camp and the people in it were all drowned in a sea of fire.

**To be continued…**

**If you made it this far, please leave a review. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey everyone!**

**I honestly intended to update sooner, but this week has been really busy for me and I imagine upcoming Christmas and New Year will be busy to everyone, so let's just say I try. Okay. **

**Thanks for the wonderful, wonderful reviews: ranma girl 14, My-name-is-foxglove, Ryo-chan wolfgirl, Nadrek, James Birdsong, jdcocoagirl, Irena, Mystical-Dreamer57 and Leigh4. **

**Anonymous Coward: other vampires than level 3s, who are no better than rabid dogs, have same rights as humans: Akane can't open fire unless for self-defense. **

**Disclaimers: see previous ones. **

CHAPTER 6

"Miss? Will there be anything else?"

Akane was pulled out of her thoughts by a waiter standing beside her table in a small cafeteria. She quickly smiled and told the coffee was quite enough for her. When the waiter had left she returned to her musings.

When she had woken up that morning, feeling rather refreshed, she had instantly locked herself to the bathroom and checked every inch of her body in search for signs that the vampire would have drank from her. To her relief, none was found. However, she was soon filled with a fury. An unknown vampire had come to her window, had a pleasant chat with her and left after putting her to sleep. And all the time he had calmly smiled while she pointed a gun at him.

_He played with me! He was playing cat and mouse with me and I let him. That…that…bloodsucking jerk!_

The part of Akane that understood reason told her, that it would be best to forget everything vampire… Ranma had said about Kuno and level 2s and 3s. Investigating those kinds of things only leads to troubles. Plus Kuno may be an egoistic dick but he would not profit anything of making tests that drop vampires to a lower level.

And yet…that other part of her, part that had guided her, had insisted to join to HPU and usually dominated her, said it was something worth looking forward to.

Against better judgment, she had made a call for a person she knew had means to get information and quickly, and who happened to owe a favor for her. She had just asked him, very sweetly, if he could check had there been anything going on with the Gambling King's businesses lately that had been weirder than usual. Now she waited him to join her in the cafeteria.

_Speak of the devil, _Akane thought as she saw the said person entering._ And if it turns out there was nothing at all behind this I'll hunt down that Ranma and shoot silver bullets to both of his knees. _

"Hey there, Gosunkugi" Akane smiled.

Hikaru Gosunkugi was a young man with black hair and extremely pale skin, so pale, that if he didn't walk in sunlight people would mistake him for a vampire. He was very thin and walked with a slight hunch. He seemed as the kind of guy who gets bullied by everyone. What made Gosunkugi unique was his ability to hack in any database anywhere anytime. Nabiki used Gosunkugi to get information about competing companies and about board of directors as well as stock owners.

"Ah, Miss Tendo" he greeted and sat in the same table with Akane. "You wanted me to check…er, about Gambling King, right?"

"Yes and thank you. Did you find anything?"

"Well, er…to tell you the truth, there was nothing to be found".

If Akane had been holding her coffee cup it would have probably shattered in her hand. _I am so going to kill that Ranma. What was I thinking, believing his wild stories?_

"Okay…thanks anyway. Sorry I bothered you".

"Er, no! Wait. I didn't mean it like that. What I meant is that nothing was found. Literally" the nervous sounding freelance hacker said.

"Explain, please".

"Well, er…apparently police did investigate King's usual places yesterday because of an anonymous phone call, but…er, they found nothing. No King, his men, anything. All gone. The place was empty".

"Empty?"

"Empty".

Akane was silent and felt how her heart beat was speeding up. It was too early to decide if this was just a coincidence or had that Ranma really been telling truth…but for better or worse, her curiosity was fully awaken.

"Okay. Thanks, Gosunkugi! What do I owe you?"

"This was a favor, remember. And please, don't tell your sister I helped you".

Akane raised one eyebrow.

Gosunkugi squirmed in his seat. "She…doesn't like it when I give info to other people".

Akane wasn't surprised. To Nabiki her position of earning money came first. She needed information and wasn't going to let the best hacker give it to her enemies. Akane imagined that Nabiki probably cursed every time she had to pay for Gosunkugi to keep him in line.

Akane's cell phone trembled and she picked it up to see she had received a message. It had come from unknown number. Her eyes winded as she read the short message.

_**If you are at all interested, meet me tonight at midnight at the gates of old Nerima high school. Ranma. **_

_How did he…How did he got my number?! That…that jerk…I'll be there alright…_

"Well, I shall be taking my leave then…" Gosunkugi weakly said when seeing almost murderous expression on Akane's face.

--

"Our target is finally moving".

It was nearly midnight. A black van was slowly driving the darker streets of Nerima, the area of so called night-people. Inside the van were dozen small monitors, each showing a different picture of the city. In one of the pictures was a vampire with black coat, red shirt and pigtailed hair, moving fast over the roofs.

"So…that's the one Kuno wants killed? Doesn't look like much".

"Well, we are paid for the job, so no complaints. Don't loose the target".

"'Course not. Though I like the shirt. I think I'll take it and call it Marie".

"Whatever you say".

The van started speeding.

--

Akane rubbed her elbows, trying to make herself feel warmer. It wasn't that cold night really, it was just the place that was creepy beyond belief. The 'old' Nerima high school had not been used since the 1950's and had stayed as an empty building ever since. The school, like many other buildings surrounding it, was anymore only occupied by homeless people and gangs. An ideal area for level 3 groups. Akane, while standing at the gate, couldn't hear any noises, so she figured it must be empty tonight.

"There is no one inside, if that's what you wondered".

Akane raised her eyes to the direction of the voice. Ranma was walking towards her, hands raised up and behind his head. He was moving easily and in perfect balance on top of a narrow fence. He still had that boyish grin on his face.

"Is there something funny since you always smile?" Akane asked.

"I dunno. Maybe I enjoy your company so much".

Ranma jumped down from the fence, landing to his feet as gracefully as a cat.

"Showoff" Akane muttered.

"Would I be terribly wrong in assuming that you have armed yourself heavily?" Ranma asked, good mood shinning from him.

Akane neither denied nor admitted anything. Truth was she had indeed brought few 'just in case' items with her. Two hand guns, one small gun and a sliver bowie knife. Yet, it seemed Ranma read her thoughts.

"You brought something with you, didn't you, tomboy?" he asked and laughed. "Wouldn't have expected anything less from you".

Akane huffed. "Well, mister, you did wake my interest so here I am. However, I am still not sure should I trust anything you say or not".

"No need to trust me, tomboy. Trust your own instincts. I think you have very fine ones".

Akane frowned. "How did you get my phone number?"

"I asked for it yesterday…after you fell asleep".

If Akane had been ready to shoot him earlier, now she wanted to carve his heart out. "Did you ask anything else?"

" Nah, thought I'd leave something for imagination. So, what did you find out?" Ranma asked.

Swallowing down the urge to punch him, Akane spoke. "Only that the Gambling King has disappeared to thin air. That still doesn't say anything about Kuno changing level 2s to level 3s".

Ranma chuckled. "To thin air? Kuno truly is quick in covering his tracks. And he must now have a fair idea about me" he muttered to himself.

"Er, hallo! Least you could do is talk to me".

Ranma pulled something from his pocket. A small object, no bigger than a matchbox.

"What's that?"

"I got it from the King. Not sure what it is exactly, but if I am right, it should answer to some of the questions here".

"And what makes you think you are right?"

"Because I also usually have good instincts about these things".

Akane looked at the little box in his hand. "Why are you doing this?" she finally asked, turning back to the vampire.

"What? Trying to bring Kuno down?"

Akane nodded.

Ranma had a mocking let-me-think expression. "Maybe because I, like most of the citizens of Nerima, dislike the bastard. All Kuno ever does, all he has ever done, is motivated by his lust for power. He is one of the most powerful men on this side of the globe and it's not enough for him. If he plans something with level 3s, it can't be good. So if there's a chance to bring him down from his high and mighty chair, count me in!"

Ranma's voice had become louder while he talked and Akane took a step back.

Then Ranma smiled again. "I'm not the only one, you know. There's a group of us, ready to kick Kuno's ass back to the previous century".

"Will I meet the other ones?" Akane asked, despite her uncertainty if she really wanted to.

"Maybe. Depends how this will…" Ranma suddenly stopped and looked around.

"What is it?" Akane asked, alert also.

"For a moment I thought I sensed…"

And then Ranma grabbed Akane and leaped from the ground high to the air, just as multiple arrows landed to where they had just stood. They landed to the School yard.

"You okay?" Ranma asked.

"Yeah" Akane said, trying not to show her shakiness.

From the darkness they heard a young female voice.

"You missed!"

**To be continued…**

**I'll try to update faster next time. Remember to review. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey there!**

**I am so sorry for taking so long to update. I honestly tried to get this done before holidays but something always came. At least I got it done before year 2009. Not sure when I'll be able to update next but hopefully sooner than this one. **

**And please, no more requested to make bigger chapters. You're only wasting your time. **

**Thanks for the great reviews: jdcocoagirl, James Birdsong, TendoAkane92, ranma girl 14, Mystical-Dreamer57, Irena and a certain nameless reviewer who guessed correct. Lerris, thank you for reviewing also, though I have no idea what you meant by that last comment. **

**Disclaimers: Rumiko? Not me. **

CHAPTER 7:

The Golden Pair.

That is the name Azusa and Mikado were known as throughout the underworld. The two of them, both level 2 vampires, had met during the 2020's and soon become the best mercenaries that money can buy. For payment they could do anything from little blackmailing to grand seized assassinations. They had worked for both human crime bosses who wanted to create chaos, as well as for level 1 vampire leaders who wanted to maintain control amongst their groups.

And currently they were standing in front of the old Nerima high school, watching their pray.

"You missed" Azusa said. She didn't look a day over 15 and had a long curly hair that truly could make her look like a typical little princess.

"Really? And how did you come to that conclusion? Have you gathered some wit for yourself?"

Mikado also looked like he had never reached his twentieth summer. He was tall and thin with handsome face, the perfect example of a school playboy.

"Mikado! You can not speak to me, your fiancée, like that!" came a childish outburst from Azusa.

"Since when did we become engaged?"

"We'll remain so until you actually decide to pop the question" girl declared.

Mikado muttered something under his breath.

Akane and Ranma stood still in the middle of the school's yard, watching as the two mercenaries walked from the darkness towards them. Akane was shaken by the sudden jump with Ranma from the gate. Her mind was progressing a rather startling fact:

_He saved me! The damn vampire actually saved me. Maybe he isn't that bad after all…_

"Nice reflexes you have there!" Mikado shouted as he and Azusa entered the yard also.

"Nice arrows you have there" Ranma shouted back. "With silver points. Dangerous weapons for vampires such as you to handle".

"Don't worry, I'm a professional".

"**We** are professionals!" Azusa yelled.

Mikado ignored her, his whole attention focused on Ranma.

"We are not interested of the woman. As pretty as she is she is free to leave!"

"I think he means you" Ranma said to Akane.

"Who are these guys?" Akane asked, her hand on top of her gun.

"Bounty hunters, probably. Word has spread out. I wonder who might have talked about me".

Akane suddenly kept her eyes from meeting Ranma. Her report had caused this.

Ranma snorted. "Don't feel guilty. I expected this to happen sooner or later. But you should take his offer and leave".

If there was one thing Akane was known for it was her stubbornness. "Not likely to happen".

Ranma sighed. Then he grabbed Akane by her collar and threw her, literally threw her, right inside the school from one of the windows with no glass on the second floor. Akane found herself screaming through the air and make a rather painful contact with the dusty classroom floor.

"That guy…is…a…JERK!!!!!" she hissed.

--

Outside Ranma turned his attention back to the mercenaries. Mikado had his eyebrows up, showing how the Akane's throwing had surprised him, while Azusa was giggling very girlishly.

"Do that again!" she squealed.

"If you'll let me go I will" Ranma answered.

"Not going to happen" Mikado interfered. "However, we can give you a choice. Either stand still and we'll finish this really quickly, or resist and we'll have to be rough".

"How many of your targets have ever chosen the first option?" Ranma asked.

Mikado smirked. "The rough way then".

--

Akane cursed as she stood up to her somewhat shaky feet and turned around to watch what was happening outside. Her training in HPU made her drop to her knees, to stay as invisible as possible. She peeked and stared what was happening on the yard.

Ranma was standing in the middle of the yard, lazily stretching his hands over his head as if he had just gotten up from the bed. The mercenaries on the other hand had started to move. Mikado had in his hand something that looked like a combination of a crossbow and a machine gun.

"I wondered what kind of a weapon you used to shoot all those arrows there" Ranma said. "Did you steal it from a vampire hunter?"

"Yes, after killing him".

While Mikado was keeping eye contact with Ranma, Azusa had moved to stand to his right side and was also holding a weapon of her own. Something that to Akane looked almost like…

_A chainsaw?!! _

Indeed the little princess wannabe had such a thing with her and she switched it on. The blade started running.

Ranma stared the thing wearily. "Oh c'mon…"

Akane decided not to wait a moment longer. She quickly took her cell phone and dialed a very familiar number.

"_You have reached the Nerima City's emergency number. How may I help you?_"

"Three level 2 vampires are fighting at the old Nerima high-school yard. Send a SWAT team asap!"

"_SWAT team?_"

"Well patrol officers then, and a lot of them. Come quickly, two of them are about to slaughter the third one!"

"_State your name and location_".

"Akane Tendo. Nerima High School. The old one".

"_THE Akane Tendo?_"

Akane closed her phone. It shouldn't take long for a cavalry to arrive.

She peeked from the window again and was quite surprised, and relieved though she wouldn't admit it, to see Ranma still in one piece and moving. He was doing, she had to agree, pretty impressive job there. The vampire moved with incredible speed and flexibility. Akane was no expert of other vampires than level 3s, but even she could tell that Ranma had gone through some training and was not simply moving with his vampiric strength and instincts. The two mercenaries were obviously pros as well, but Ranma was giving them a challenge they had not expected.

Mikado had become very frustrated with Ranma's habit of avoiding his arrows. No matter how many he shot the intended target managed to move out of the way and not getting even a small scratch. With an alarm he realized he was actually running out of arrows and had to quickly retrieve some he had already shot once. Mikado couldn't recall how long it had been since someone had given him such a challenge. He made a mental note of doubling the Kuno's bill.

And then finally, FINALLY, one of the arrows managed to hit Ranma to his shoulder. The pigtailed vampire was more surprised than defeated, but it did make him distracted and opened the change Azusa needed. She charged forward, her chainsaw ready to decapitate Ranma or at least cause some other harm to him.

"That shirt is mine!!!" Azusa screamed happily as she came closer…

BANG

Akane blinked and stared her hand. She hadn't been aware of it but suddenly, purely following her instincts once again, she had stood up, took her gun, aimed and shot a piece out of the chainsaw's blade.

Azusa came to a stop and stared the broken equipment. Her enraged eyes flashed red and she spotted Akane.

"You broke Jacqueline! You're dead, bitch!"

Akane's eyes winded as she realized the little girl vampire had just ran through the doors of the school…and was now looking for her.

Ranma used the moment of distraction to remove the silver tipped arrow from his shoulder. Still, he couldn't help but think of what had just happened. _Damn tomboy is going to get herself slaughtered…_

"Damnit, Azusa! Head in the game!" Mikado shouted after his partner. "Women…" he mumbled.

Mikado was startled to realize that while he had been distracted, Ranma had suddenly jumped to the air and was landing to his feet…right to Mikado's head. The mercenary gave a startled yelp as Ranma's shoes were on his face and he dropped his crossbow, which Ranma quickly snatched.

"That's impossible!" Mikado cried. "No one has ever managed to take me by surprise! Not one human or vampire I have faced!"

Ranma looked at the crossbow in his hands for a moment and then smirked. The crossbow shattered to pieces in his bare hands. He then started walking very confidently towards Mikado.

"Here's a choice for you: either you'll give up, admit I'm far better than you, tell me who hired you and then we'll go inside to watch the cat fight. Or…I'll just suck your blood, find out who hired you and kill you in the process. Your call".

Mikado threw his coat away and took two sickles from behind his back. "Fuck you!"

Ranma had a boyish smile. "Alrighty then".

Mikado charged forward, moving with a speed that would make human gasp. Ranma stood exactly where he was, still grinning, not blinking an eye. He didn't even flinch when Mikado struck one sickle to his throat and another one to his chest.

"Got ya!"

The triumphant smile disappeared from Mikado's face when he saw that Ranma was still grinning. Ranma pushed Mikado away with a force that made the mercenary fly across the yard and drop heavily to his back. Mikado rose shakily up and saw Ranma walking towards him, easily pulling the blades out of his body.

"No…no way…you should be down! Throat and chest! You should be down!"

Ranma threw one of the sickles. It hit Mikado to his ankle and made him drop back to the ground.

"Shit! …No way! What are you?! What the hell are you?!!"

Ranma was now right in front of him and hit the other sickle to Mikado's shoulder, earning a scream of pain. Still holding on the sickle, Ranma used it to pull Mikado up.

"Are…are you level 1?" Mikado asked, fear evident in his voice.

"Truth is…there is no level for someone like me. I am the best" Ranma said.

"Please…I'll tell you all I know…no need to kill me…"

"Not your choice".

Ranma opened his mouth, revealing his sharp teeth and then pierced them through Mikado's throat and drank. Vampire's blood is not warm and tasty like humans, but cold and bitter. Still Ranma kept drinking, absorbing all the knowledge the blood held within it: the talents, the memories and abilities. When Ranma was done, he drop Mikado's lifeless corpse to the ground.

"Now" Ranma though aloud while turning back to the school "let's see if she's still alive there".

**To be continued…**

**Remember to review. No flames. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey all.**

**Before you start to go all "the hell have you been" let me tell that the past month has been just crazy to me. All of my personal plans for the next six months had to be changed. So it took a little time before I was able to sit down, breath and think about fanfics again. Still, I am back now, hopefully also back with a good schedule. **

**I can't express enough how happy I am for receiving such wonderful reviews: My-name-is-foxglove, Mystical-Dreamer57, ranma girl 14, Lerris (though I still have no idea what you mean, haven't you ever heard of cliffhangers?), jdcocoagirl, Krizz (no talking about length of chapters anymore, thank you very much), V EPSILON, Irena and SakuraJade who really blew me up with that review. THANK YOU ALL!!!**

**Disclaimers: see previous chapters. **

CHAPTER 8:

Ryoga Hibiki rubbed his eyes and sighed. Not because he was tired, being a werewolf he could easily stay up five days straight without yawning. He was weary of what was about to happen. He did not like to bring troubles to his pack, but he was afraid that hard times were ahead of them. If Ranma's recent change of attitude was any indignation, at least.

Ranma Saotome…

Sometimes Ryoga truly thought that his friendship to the vampire was more trouble than worth. They were after all the most natural enemies in the world, all the werewolves had in their race memory an inheriting hate towards vampires that had once used them as slaves. But then again, Ranma was hardly a typical vampire. Ryoga had known Ranma for nearly 30 years already and during that time Ranma had helped him more than any vampire, human or other creature would. Ryoga knew he owed Ranma a lot…but even if he didn't, he would have helped Ranma anyway.

Still, as he watched the sleeping form of the youngest member of HPU lying on his bar's backroom couch, he couldn't help but dread where all this would lead.

"Excuse me, Miss Tendo? You need to wake up now" Ryoga said in, what he hoped was, friendly tone and shook Akane from her shoulder.

Akane slowly opened her eyes, blinked and hit Ryoga to the jaw. She jumped to her legs on the couch and took a fighting stance.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded.

"Please, calm down, Miss Tendo. My name is Ryoga Hibiki. I sometimes help your father" he said hurriedly while soothing his jaw.

"Ryoga Hibiki…the werewolf?"

"Yeah, no need to say it like that though".

Akane looked around herself. "Where am I?"

"In my bar, _the Wolf's Nest_. It's nine in the morning. Ranma brought you here last night".

"Ranma?" Suddenly, Akane started to remember what had happened the previous night.

_Oh right…I was in the school building and that little vampire girl came after me…_

--

_It took everything Akane had to suppress the panic inside of her. Sure, she hunted level 3 vampires for living, but level 2s were stronger, faster and wiser. Akane had never in her life ran into troubles with them before and she felt like she had jumped to a river before realizing she couldn't swim. _

_And she knew what that felt like._

"_Where are you? Where are you, little mortal soon-to-die girl?" came a sing-a-long voice from the darkness of the school halls. _

"_I know you're very close. I can hear your pulse beating very, very fast. I can smell your sweat. You are afraid, aren't you? Don't worry. It will soon be over". _

_Akane very carefully, as quietly as she could, reloaded her gun. The small click sound it made sounded like a thunder to her. _

"_Ah, there you are!" shouted an excited voice. _

_Akane had just enough time to raise her head when the door to the classroom shattered to pieces and hyperactive vampire appeared, still holding her now broken chainsaw. Akane did not waste time. She raised her gun and started shooting the silver bullets. Azusa swirled her chainsaw in front of her with a mad speed and used it as a shield until Akane was out of them. Then she laughed. _

"_Even broken Jacqueline serves me well. You really don't know who you just messed with, do you?" Azusa sneered. _

_She jumped like a wild animal, pushed Akane on her back to the floor and landed on her. With a seemingly effortless wave of hand she separated Akane from her gun and then put her other hand on Akane's throat, making her breathing difficult. _

"_Now, I think it's appropriate to know who killed you" Azusa said. "I am Azusa from the Golden Pair. I've been on this line of work for decades now and I am really good at it. My line of work of course includes things like murders, extortions and plain old being naughty. So you're going to be killed by a pro. Isn't that nice? Now, for the sake of politeness, who are you?" _

"_Sick of you already" was Akane's answer, as she reached for her silver knife in her pocket and stabbed it to Azusa's ribs. The vampire gave a very unlady like scream when the silver started burning her flesh. _

_She jumped off Akane, who pulled her knife back. Since vampires have low tolerance to silver, the wound did not start to heal as fast as it otherwise would have. Azusa held her ribs, trying to keep from bleeding. She raised her head to look Akane and her face was so twisted with rage, her eyes glowing red, that she no longer looked like 15 years old cute girl. She looked like a monster. _

"_You…are so…dead" she hissed through her teeth. _

_Akane, who only had her knife left, couldn't help but think she might have a point._

_Azusa moved again with a great speed. Akane managed to strike her with silver again, but this time Azusa didn't stop, but kept coming until she hit Akane against the wall. The impact was so powerful to Akane's head that she immediately felt falling unconscious. _

So this is how it ends_, she thought, as her legs gave in. _

_Azusa came again, grinning despite the pain, but the last thing Akane saw was Ranma appearing behind her, pulling her hair and throwing Azusa through the wall. _

--

_And then everything went black_, Akane concluded.

"Miss Tendo, are you alright?" Ryoga asked, fearing she was paralyzed.

Akane turned back to the young looking werewolf. "How do you know Ranma, Mr. Hibiki?"

Ryoga looked uncomfortable. "Well, if you excuse me, but I think the less you know about my affairs the better it is for me, you see".

"Why did Ranma brought me here? Why didn't he take me back to my home, he knows where I live".

"He wanted to have a word with you. Said your chat was rudely interrupted. He is waiting for you in that room." Ryoga pointed to a door and before Akane had time to say anything, he left.

Akane stood where she was for a moment, letting all the events that had lead her here set in. She then braced herself, walked to the door Ryoga had pointed, knocked and entered without waiting for invitation.

The room had no windows, just a table with some bottles of medical blood on it and a coffin.

_How classy_, Akane thought. Only the noblest vampires anymore used coffins.

She didn't have to knock the coffin. Ranma came out as Akane closed the door. He looked at her for a moment and then smiled.

"You came in here, alone with me, without weapons? Are we starting to become friends?"

Akane hold off any traces of a smile from her face. "Hardly. I just hit my head rather hard".

"Well, tomboy, you seem to be doing alright. Even managed to give that little girl couple injuries. Nicely done".

"What happened to her?"

"The last I saw she was lying under the grumbled wall. I heard sirens so I took you and left. Maybe the police got her".

"And the other one? The guy?"

"Dead" Ranma said simply.

"You killed him" Akane stated.

"Yes. Not the best of snacks I've had but I did get some useful information out of him".

Akane stared at Ranma, contemplating very quietly. He had just admitted a killing, feeding from another vampire forcefully. It was a crime. Her duty would be to arrest him or at least report about him.

But she did not feel least bit sympathetic towards the two mercenaries and that fact that Ranma had not done anything to her so far, even having more than one opportunity, spoke volumes.

"What information?" she finally asked.

"They were hired by none other than our old buddy Tatewaki Kuno" Ranma said, boyish smile never leaving his face.

"Kuno?" _Dear Kami, has everything he's been telling been true all along? _"What were they hired for?"

"To silence me. And get back the things I took from Kuno's servant the Gambling King" he said, and reached for his pocket. He took the container he had showed Akane earlier, not bigger than a match box and opened it. Inside were small, red pills.

"What are these?" Akane asked.

"I have no idea, but Kuno wants them back. I do have my suspicious though. I believe that these little things are responsible for turning level 2s to level 3s".

Akane took one of the pills to her hand. "But you're not sure".

"I'm not a chemist and I don't know any chemists. Not at least anyone that would have a decent lab".

"So you want me to find out about this pill" she concluded.

"You really are smart girl, you know that".

Akane frowned. "I'm still not sure if I should trust you".

"Then don't. But whatever it is Kuno's up to you don't want him to succeed any more than I do. So we're both working towards the same goal".

For a moment both of them just watched each others, brown eyes meeting red ones. Then Akane put the pill in her pocket.

"I need to go now" she said and opened the door.

"Have a nice day!" Ranma shouted after her, waving his hand. "I promise to call you!"

Akane rolled her eyes and closed the door behind her.

On her way out she met Ryoga at the door. The werewolf turned to address her.

"Miss Tendo, before you go…"

"Yes?"

"I just…I just hope that you would leave my involvement out of…what ever it is you're going to tell to others. Werewolves have troubles enough already and I don't want to danger my pack and my mate".

Akane raised an eyebrow. "Then why do you help Ranma?"

Ryoga shrugged helplessly. "He's my friend".

Akane smiled. "I'm not sure what I'm going to tell and to whom, but I doubt mentioning you will be in my mind then".

Ryoga smiled. "Thank you".

--

Nerima City Police HQ

Azusa had indeed been taken by the police when they found her in a nearly destroyed classroom. It didn't help much that her partner was found dead outside. She was locked in a room especially designed to hold vampires. The detectives had questioned her for hours but Azusa had not given them anything.

Not because she was defying them. There really wasn't much fight left in her. But because she could not progress what had happened. She felt shocked for having being caught. She was stunned because they had failed. She was mourning of Mikado's death and most of all, she was afraid.

Because she knew the price of failing.

"Miss, we can not help you, unless you help us. Please tell us what you know" one of the detectives said from the other side of a huge glass wall. At any other time Azusa could have simply smash the glass and leave, but it was filled with symbols that weakened her.

"C'mon" another detective said. "We won't get anything out of her. We've been at it for hours. Let's come back later".

Azusa watched with disinterest as the two men left. She sighed and felt how the coldness surrounded her.

_Funny, cold hasn't bothered me since I became a vampire. _

"Miss Azusa, Master Kuno is very disappointed with your performance".

Azusa turned around and saw Kuno's servant Sasuke standing in her holding cell. The little creature of a man had always given creeps to her.

"You know why I am here" Sasuke said, his voice showing neither threat nor sympathy. He was just following his orders.

Azusa lowered her head and looked at the bracelet Mikado had once given to her. "At least you are with me till the end, Giselle" she whispered.

30 minutes later, when the detectives came to see what had caused the holding cell's security camera to turn off, they found the smoking remains of Azusa's body.

**To be continued…**

**See ya next time, a lot sooner than with this one, I promise! Remember to review! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello again!**

**Thanks for the fantastic reviews by ranma girl 14, Mystical-Dreamer57, Lerris, My-name-is-foxglove, TendoAkane92, and Irena. **

**My-name-is-foxglove: Thanks a thousand, I really appreciate the help. **

**Disclaimers: see chapter 1. **

CHAPTER 9

Akane had always known that doctor Tofu Ono was a cheerful, kind man. Tofu was a philanthropist to whom profession as a doctor and the duty to relieve suffering of men was an almost holy mission. Yet he did not appear as overly serious man, but indeed seemed very relaxed and happy most of the time. He was well liked by his co-workers and he had bought a drink or two to Soun Tendo every now and then.

Tofu was nearly in his mid thirties and most people believed he would stay bachelor forever. But when he laid his eyes on Kasumi Tendo, the eldest of three sisters, the poor doctor became a lost cause. Although the two had nearly ten years of age difference, reason wasn't enough to stop Tofu from acting like a lovesick fool whenever he found himself in the same room as the eldest Tendo girl. Kasumi was not blind or ignorant of this, but she refused to do anything about it until Tofu would get his head out of his rear end and make the first move.

Tofu finally accomplished this a little over a year ago then. Now he and Kasumi are engaged to be married. And no matter what time of the day, he was always delighted when she visited him at work.

This time was no exception either, Akane concluded, as she watched Tofu leaving whatever he was working on to the desk and take his fiancée in an enormous bear hug.

While the two were tangled, Akane looked around of Tofu's workroom. To her surprise it was quite a contrast towards the doctor's sunny attitude. While the room did seem to be half made to look like a modern day medical laboratory with computers and other machines that Akane understood nothing about, it seemed also have elements from earlier centuries' alchemists' studies. The room was somewhat dark, there were chemicals bubbling in their glass containers and the plastic skeleton in the corner was somewhat creepy. She half expected to see a human skull on his desk.

Then again, maybe that was to be expected from him. Tofu Ono was not just any doctor. He was an expert of blood deceases and was one of the leading experts in the area of vampire blood and its abilities to turn a human into a vampire.

"Not that I am complaining, but what brings you here?" Tofu finally managed to ask, smiling rather goofily.

"Can't a woman come to see her soon-to-be husband without a reason?" Kasumi asked with her naturally innocent voice.

"Of course you can, but I doubt your sister would come without a reason. Hello, Akane. How are you?"

Akane smiled. "I'm…fine. Life's been a bit hectic recently".

"Dear, Akane has a favor to ask" Kasumi said.

Soun Tendo had not been home during the night Akane had gone to school and end up in Ryoga Hibiki's establishments. Kasumi alone knew Akane had not come home during her 'night-off'. Akane had managed not to reveal anything to her sister, but she knew that Kasumi suspected something. It had taken nearly an hour to get her sister to do this favor for her.

"_You must promise that neither he nor you will get in any troubles" _Kasumi had said.

Now that she was here, she hoped she could keep that promise.

"Doctor, I…I indeed need a favor…a rather big one" Akane said and took from her pocket the thing that to her seemed to weight like a ton.

The red pill Ranma had given to her.

"I…that is, if it's not too much…I would greatly appreciate if you could analyze this and tell me what it is exactly" she hastily said.

Tofu blinked, looked confusedly from Akane to Kasumi and back to Akane. Then he laughed. "Well, that doesn't sound like a much of a challenge".

"Well…there's more" Akane said. "You can't tell anyone else about this".

Now Tofu raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Please, Doctor Tofu, I know this must seem like a terribly untypical thing to do but I plead for you not to ask any questions and just trust in me".

Kasumi put her arms around Tofu's arm. "Can you do this favor for her? Just one little favor?" she sweetly asked.

Tofu contemplated for a long moment, making Akane fidget but finally sighed. "Very well, but just because you asked it. And you can keep your secrets".

"I knew we could trust you" Kasumi smiled and kissed Tofu to his cheek.

Akane wasn't sure, but it seemed as if the doctor's glasses fogged.

--

_**The Church of Jusenkyo: The Church of Jusenkyo is an ancient, still working, group of trained vampire slayers. The exact age of the church is unknown, but it has existed at least over 1000 years already. It was originally founded in China, in the area of Jusenkyo, which was once said to have been ruled over by vampire lords, until the people of Joketsuzoku village stood up to defy them. Since the people had been under the vampire rule for ages, it is said that they had learned ways to improve themselves mentally and physically to stand against the immortals. This is said to have led to a bloody battle that made the people of Joketsuzoku dedicate their lives for vampire hunting. **_

_**The church existed in secret for centuries and became a publicly known centre for vampire hunters after the Great War. Nowadays the Church is specialized in capturing/hunting higher level criminal vampires that Human Protection Unit is not trained for. The Church has its facilities all over the world but they still mainly stay in Asia. All the slayers of the Church are descendants of the original village people, who have been trained since the birth. According to some rumors, their unnatural abilities are an inherited trait. **_

--

The Japanese HQ of the Church of Jusenkyo, Nerima City

The Nerima's Jusenkyo Church wasn't hard to find. Even in a relatively big city like Nerima, the Church stood out, being a huge cathedral made with a European gothic style. There were hardly any other buildings like that to be seen in a whole city.

Inside the church, footsteps echoed through an empty corridor. The person responsible for the sound was a young woman, no more than 22 years old. She had a body of an athlete and a long purple colored hair. The woman in question was Xian Pu, but due to a Japanese pronunciation she was more commonly known as Shampoo. And she was quite possibly, despite of her young age, the top slayer Jusenkyo had in Japan.

Shampoo walked to the end of the corridor where she knocked on a large wooden door. She didn't have to wait for long when the door opened, allowing her inside the office of the church's Mother Superior.

"Come in, Xian Pu" said a stern voice. "Sit down".

Shampoo said "Yes, Mother Superior", although in her mind she said _Yes, grandmother_.

Shampoo's grandmother Ku Lon was an old woman who had lived for over eight decades. Despite of her high age Cologne, as she had been 'renamed', was not a granny to be taken lightly. Not only was she in charge of Jusenkyo's Japanese station, but she was also member of the Elders' Council and a close advisor of the Empress.

Cologne was born during the war and had since dedicated her whole life in maintaining the peace and order between humans and vampires and making sure not another huge war between two races can start again.

The old woman looked at her young granddaughter sitting opposite of her. When she spoke her voice was filled with authority.

"Xian Pu, a situation has come that requires us to take immediate actions".

Shampoo nodded her head showing respect. "I am listening, Mother Superior".

Cologne showed some reports on her desk. "Last week, a group of HPU members ambushed and exterminated a small group of level 3s. One of the members reported in the report that they had seen a higher level vampire in the sewers, and that the said vampire had killed one of the level 3s, apparently just for fun".

The old woman paused for a moment, before taking another report. "A night before yesterday, an emergency call claimed that three vampires were fighting at the Nerima's old high-school. When the patrol came, they found one level 2 dead from the yard, and another one unconscious from one of the classrooms. These two turned out to be Mikado and Azusa, both wanted for various crimes".

"The Golden Pair?" Shampoo couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Indeed. This proves that whoever they were fighting against is skillful and, most likely, powerful. An unusually effective level 2 or, even worse, a level 1 gone berserk. The patrol officer also mentioned in his report, that before entering the school, they saw someone in the window of the classroom where they found Azusa. The said someone had smiled and waved to them, but they couldn't find anyone afterwards".

Shampoo realized where this was going. "And the person in the window looked very much like the mysterious vampire in the sewers, right?"

"Exactly the same description. Not only that, but Azusa was found dead in her cell the following morning. There's more to this than just a rabid vampire running loose".

Shampoo paid close attention to her grandmother's silence and frown on her face. "You suspect something already?"

A smile tugged on Cologne's mouth. "The Golden Pair were mercenaries and I have a feeling they didn't just happen to piss some random vampire off. They were hired, I'm sure of it. And neither is alive to sing, so to speak. She was silenced".

Cologne stood up from her chair, which didn't make much of a difference since her old age had hunched her down quite bit.

"Xian Pu, this is your mission. You must learn everything you can about this outlaw vampire and hunt him down. If at all possible bring him alive for questioning. I have a feeling he possesses some important information that can be used either to maintain or destroy the peace. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mother Superior" Shampoo declared.

"Good. You may go now and keep me updated".

Shampoo bowed.

--

The night, Tendo house

Akane sat fuming in her room. She still couldn't believe the results Doctor Tofu had send for her. And she had gone all secretive and begging for favors, all for probably just laughs for one vampire. She swore that if she ever saw Ranma again she would...do something really nasty. Like feed her cookings for him.

_I even helped him against that chainsaw psycho. _

Her cell phone gave a sudden sound, indicating an arrival of text message. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the number it came from.

"You have got to be kidding me".

**A. Come to rooftop. It's a beautiful night. R.**

For a moment Akane was tempted to take her gun start shooting roof full of holes, but she settled to take her silver knife instead. Just in case he tried anything funny.

Akane found Ranma from the rooftop. He was lying on his back, hands beneath his head and staring the night sky. He didn't turn to look at her when he spoke.

"Nice night, isn't it?"

When she didn't answer, he looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Not on a talkative mood, are you?"

"You bastard" Akane hissed. "You think this is really funny, don't you?!"

"What are you on about?"

"I had that pill analyzed! It was ASPIRIN for Kami's sake! You had me completely fooled!"

Ranma just stared her for a moment. "Aspirin, huh?"

"Yes, aspirin! Happy now? You really had me going there. Completely believed in all of your conspiracy things of Kuno and level 3s and whatever! You've had your fun at my expense so leave or I'll make you leave!" she shouted.

Suddenly Ranma was just inches away from her, his fingers on her lips silencing her.

"Despite of probably earning that low opinion", he said, "I did not pull a joke on you. I do have better ways to entertain myself".

The two remained silent, staring each others like stubborn children.

Ranma sighed. "Akane, think a little about this. The Golden Pair was hired by Kuno to kill me and get the pills back…"

_According to you_, Akane thought.

"…now, you don't really think Kuno got so upset over aspirin pills, do you?"

"Then how do you explain the results?" she challenged him.

Ranma thought for a moment. "Is this person who analyzed the pill trustworthy?"

"Yes" Akane said without hesitation.

Ranma blinked. "Okay…well, I guess I really have no other choice but to go snooping then".

Akane stared at him. "Snooping? Snooping what? You're not…not thinking about going straight to Kuno?"

"Why not? Would seem the most direct way of getting some results. And you don't have to bother yourself with this, if you don't believe me".

"You're crazy. You'll never get in his mansion or office".

"I'm not even trying to get in them. The Kuno Company's research and development section is having a fund racing party soon enough. Lots of people will be attending. They will keep Kuno busy while I'll look around. No better place to start than in Kuno's own laboratories".

Akane remembered that Nabiki had said something about the same party also. Still she couldn't believe that the vampire in front of her would be so insane.

"Kuno knows what you look like" she said.

Ranma flashed a brilliant boyish smile. "In that case, I need to change my looks!"

**To be continued…**

**Till next time. Reviews are always appreciated. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay, people. **

**First of all my sincere apologizes for taking so long. It has been, what, over a month since last update? Well, I have good excuses though. First of all, fire broke out in my home. Nobody was harmed, thank God, but it has taken time to get my life back in order. Then as a result I had small moment when I was not interested in any fics. And then, when my interest returned, Inuyasha, that darn dog, came and demanded a short fic for him, which took me about two weeks to make. So, again, very sorry but such is life. **

**Thanks for the amazing people who reviewed my last chapter: My-name-is-foxglove, ranma girl 14, jdcocoagirl, SakuraJade, Akane112, Mystical-Dreamer57 and Irena. You guys are beyond awesome. **

**Not wanting to keep you guys waiting any longer this chapter lacks throughout checking, so I'm sorry for any lingual errors and others of the sort that might appear. **

**Disclaimers: Rumiko owns them, I just make the story. **

CHAPTER 10

Although Akane loved beautiful dresses there were the next woman, she had terrible time of actually feel comfortable in one. She supposed it was because she spent most of her time in, what some would call men's clothes. Certainly she felt more comfortable in trousers, whereas her sister Nabiki, businesswoman through and through, could make herself look comfortable in anything she wore.

Also, Akane had trouble of keeping her balance when walking on high heels.

"Akane, if you're not comfortable with this, why did you insist of coming here with me today?" Nabiki asked as they entered the building where Kuno Companies were having their fund race.

"Well, haven't you always said I should socialize with people more?" Akane said, trying to avoid the truth. _What am I suppose to say? That I suspect a vigilante vampire may come crushing the party?_

Nabiki stared her for a moment. "Yeah, but I would have thought you would start with people you are more comfortable with. Not with people who are coming to meet my boss. Sis, you can't fool me. What are you really here for?"

Akane squirmed. "Nabiki, I would love to tell you, but either you wouldn't believe me or it would bring troubles. Just trust me enough and not ask questions?"

Nabiki smirked. "Sure, how much are you willing to pay me?"

"Pay you for what?"

Both Tendo girls turned around to see Tatewaki Kuno walking to them, dressed in fancy tux.

"Oh, nothing. Say boss, you look good today. Very eatable" Nabiki quickly changed the subject.

Kuno blinked. "That's…awfully kind of you to say".

Nabiki grabbed Akane by the hand. "Well, we shall be here somewhere. Call me if you need something" and with that she dragged her sister to crowd.

"Enjoy yourself" Kuno said darkly.

"Master".

Kuno turned to see his servant Sasuke, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

"What is it?"

"There has been some disturbance outside".

"What kind of disturbance?"

"I found one of our human guards in a dazed state. He says he can't recall what happened but I could see signs of mind manipulation being used on him".

"I see. Keep an eye on things then, Sasuke" Kuno ordered.

"As you command, Master".

--

Nabiki had gone talking to some important company executives leaving Akane to roam on her own. The place was filled with expensively dressed important people. She recognized government officials, politicians, scientists, some of the closest advisors of the Empress and nearly all the important Japanese level 1s she could think of.

She could see Kuno talking with his sister Kodachi in the back. As much as Akane always had disliked Kuno, it came nowhere near as close to absolute revulsion she felt everytime she met the Black Rose. The woman basically held a neon sign over her head that said psycho.

Turning around she saw an old little man sitting in one of the tables, surrounded by people ready to serve him. Minister Happosai, Akane realized. A level one vampire who had been old as long as Akane could recall, yet simply refused to kick the bucket. Happosai had been present back when the peace had been made in 1945 and was currently enjoying a very comfortable life.

Akane shuddered when the old vampire's eyes momentarily passed her. He had the lecherous look in them. However, she noticed that his eyes suddenly spotted something that made him look like he had tasted something foul. Akane followed his gaze and saw a young woman with long brown hair, dressed in beautiful black and blue dress that did justice for her figure.

Akane realized that this woman was none other than Ukyo Kounji. Ukyo was a level 2 vampire and probably the most internationally famous of that level. She had played her part in making the peace and after the War she had started her company that produced the medical blood vampires mostly used these days. She now had factories in almost every major country in the world and it was said her "fake blood" had been the only one that successfully satisfied vampires and kept them from acquiring blood from humans.

Even vampires of level 1 had acknowledged her, which alone was a great honor for level 2. Still, apparently not all of them, Akane thought as she saw Happosai's reaction.

"You look stunning in that dress".

Akane turned around to see who had complimented her and came face to face with a young woman, probably no older than she was. She had red hair tied up to her head and blue eyes, and a big smiling face. She was dressed in green dress. Akane blinked when she looked at her. She could not recall ever meeting this woman before but there was something familiar about her.

"Ah, er, thank you" Akane said.

"I knew you would be stunning once you'd get rid of those pants. I imagine your legs must be fantastic also" red haired woman said with her eyes sparkling.

Akane felt rather uncomfortable. "Do I know you?"

Woman giggled. "I said I'd do myself makeover. Do you like my new looks?"

Akane's eyes winded and she blushed and paled at the same time. "Ranma?" she whispered.

The woman came very close to Akane with her finger on her lips. "Shh, let that be our secret for now".

"But…but…how?" Akane stuttered.

Ranma winked. "One of my special abilities" he/she said.

Akane had heard that most of the level 1 vampires had special abilities, including transforming themselves to animals or looking like a different person. Still, Ranma wasn't a level 1. At least…she didn't think he was.

Akane realized something unsettling. _I have no clue what level he really is. Level 1 gone berserk…_ Akane shuddered for the thought.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?"

Akane and Ranma turned to look at speaker's booth where Kuno was standing.

"On the behalf of the Kuno Companies, it is time to reveal the big secret. For many months now there have been rumors concerning our science and research department. Rumors have varied from us making a vaccine for chicken-pox to us creating a doomsday machine".

Kuno smiled and most of the people laughed. Akane didn't.

"I can now tell what it is that we have made. Quite simply, Kuno companies have found a way to get us closer for better world".

"This I got to hear" Ranma muttered.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have found a way to solve level 3 problem".

The whole place fell to silence for about four seconds, before murmuring and whispering started.

"But…how?" someone asked.

Kuno smiled. "Let me introduce to you all a man who has made this impossible dream possible. The man who helps to a new era. Our leading scientist; Dr. Tofu Ono!"

There were applauds everywhere but Akane heard nothing. She just stared in complete disbelief when her future brother-in-law walked next to Kuno. She couldn't even make a good sentence in her mind.

_This…it just…no way…what…_

"Is something wrong, Akane?" the female Ranma asked.

Akane just kept staring Tofu who by now had started to talk.

Ranma's eyes narrowed. "He wouldn't by any chance happen to be the trustworthy person you gave that aspirin, would he?"

Akane didn't say anything, but her gaze revealed enough.

Ranma snorted. "Aspirin, my ass".

Akane started to catch what Tofu was saying.

"…the so called level 3 problem will soon be history. After three years of experimenting and recreating, we have created a cure for the decease known as level 3 state" he said.

"Explain!" someone demanded.

"By researching the unique qualities of level 1 vampire's blood, I and my team have manage to create a vaccine that, when given to level 3, will change their genetic code".

"Does that mean they'll become humans again?"

"No, I'm afraid not. Once the transformation has happened human can no longer return back" Tofu explained.

"So will they become level 2s?"

"I would say it makes them level 2 ½ more likely. The experiments we have done for level 3s given to our custody with the permission of the Empress, have regained their intellect and memories. However, they still posses greater strength and instincts than humans, as well they need blood to survive, but at least they are no longer rabid animals hunting mindlessly".

"Do you have proofs?!" a disbelieving voice demanded.

Tofu and Kuno made way as a large TV screen was lowered from the ceiling.

"You shall now see recorded material concerning our research" Tofu explained.

The lights dimmed in the great hall. Akane looked to her side and noticed to her horror that Ranma had disappeared. She tried to see in the dark and locate a red head but couldn't find one. Instead she did find her sister Nabiki again.

"Did you know?" Akane whispered.

"What?"

"About all this?"

Nabiki shook her head. "No, I had no idea. I mean, sure I had heard rumors that there has been something big going on in the science section during the past three years, but I would have never expected something so huge. Having level 3s becoming normal…Akane, you might lose your job. And this vaccine is going to make a lot of money. I need to invest immediately".

"Nabiki!" Akane hissed.

"What?"

"That's not what I meant. I asked if you knew that Tofu is working for Kuno."

Nabiki blinked. "No…no, I had no idea. And I've made it my business to know who all work for Kuno. I need to have a little one on one talk with Gosunkugi".

Akane shook her head. She would not be getting anything useful out of her now. Besides her mind was too preoccupied with the recent discoveries.

_If Tofu is working for Kuno, _she thought, _does that mean he lied to me about the aspirin. It would be easier to believe Ranma has just been feeding me bull, but my instincts have been on his side this whole time. He did save me from that psycho mercenary. But still…if Dr. Tofu is caught in some of Kuno's shady activities…this could end up badly for Kasumi. Tofu, please don't be a con. _

_And where the heck is Ranma anyway?_

Akane kept trying to look around in the darkness but didn't see a thing. She turned to the TV screen and saw a level 3 in a cage being injected with something.

_That's dangerous, putting your hands so close to those things._

The recording showed how in few days the man, level 3, had started to behave more calmly and even talking rationally. He still had red eyes and pale skin, but he was nothing like the bloodsucking monsters Akane had often met and exterminated in her job.

_Kami-sami…they really can do it…maybe Ranma got it all wrong. This drug doesn't turn level 2s to level 3s, it's the other way around. Then why do I still have such an uneasy feeling about this?_

The lights came back and for a moment there was nothing but silence. And then the whole hall was filled with applauds and cheering.

"Ladies and gentlemen" Kuno said again "it is time for us to move towards a new, better age".

"A one where you give orders, perhaps?"

Everyone turned to the direction of the voice. Akane already knew what she would see.

People took a step back from Ranma who was again his male self. The green dress Akane had seen him wearing not long ago then was gone and replaced with black pants and coat, with red Chinese style shirt.

Kuno blinked when he saw the intruder. He immediately recognized the description. "Guards!"

In a matter of few seconds, Ranma was surrounded by armed guards. There was a lot of fear suddenly in the air, coming from the other people. Ranma on the other hand was still smiling and acting as if there wasn't a worry in the world.

Kuno smirked. "So…it's the mysterious trouble maker. Do not be alarmed, ladies and gentlemen. This person here is wanted for questioning by the police. Before my men shall take you away, rascal, shall we at least know your name?"

Ranma smiled. "Ranma Saotome" he declared.

Kuno's brows frowned. "Saotome…" he whispered. "Why does that sound familiar?"

There was a sound of plate dropping to floor. Everyone turned to see Minister Happosai standing up and staring at Ranma with something of a surprise, astonishment and horror in his eyes.

"You…it can't be…" the old vampire sputtered.

Ranma waved his hand. "Hey, Happi. Long time no see".

**To be continued...**

**Please God, don't throw any other disaster in my way so I can update sooner this time. **

**Reviews are always welcome. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello there and welcome back to Kriitiko's world of broken promises and huge let downs!**

**Seriously, it seems everytime I promise I'll do a faster update the forces of nature and science turn against to prevent me to do that. The pains of having a personal life. **

**Anyway, thank you for your wonderful reviews: jdcocoagirl, My-name-is-foxglove, ranma girl 14, TendoAkane92, dragonbharg, Irena, Ari-AdiAx, Mystical-Dreamer57, tomboy 26 and V EPSILON.**

**Disclaimers: as hard as I try, Rumiko refuses to sell these characters to me. **

CHAPTER 11

"Hey, Happi. Long time no see".

The mood in the great hall had changed drastically. Most of the quests were not sure if they really were witnessing arresting of a wanted criminal, or act. Akane was also wrapped up in what was happening that she had no idea what she could do.

Minister Happosai's reaction was what had taken both Akane and Kuno by surprise. The old vampire was trying to hide it how concerned he was. Something vampires hardly ever were.

"You know him, Minister?" Kuno asked.

"Of course he does!" Ranma shouted happily smiling. "Old Happi and I go way back. Are you still into young girls?"

Happosai had regained his control over his emotions by now. "I have no idea what he's talking about".

"You hurt my feelings, Happi. How the high and mighty forgets" Ranma whined childishly.

"Enough of this!" Kuno barked. "You shall be kept here until proper authorities will come and deal with you. Take him away".

Kuno's men moved closer to take Ranma who just kept smiling. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be handing me to proper authorities, once you've questioned me, killed me and taken back your funny red pills, right?"

Kuno didn't answer, just motioned his men to continue. One standing behind Ranma took out special cuffs that repress vampire's strength. However, when he was about to put them on Ranma, the vampire's body became transparent and the man fell right through him. Other men took an alarmed step back as they tried to figure out what had just happened.

Kuno raised his head and saw that Ranma's body had materialized above them and was floating in midair.

Right towards him.

Kuno reacted quickly and moved faster than human eyes could have ever seen, but to his surprise Ranma didn't go pass him but had moved even faster and Kuno actually pumped to him. Ranma's hand moved for about second in front of Kuno's face, before he was able to pull himself back.

Kuno shot daggers with his eyes. "You bastard…there is no way a level 2 could do something like that…"

Akane gasped. _I was right. Ranma is level 1!_

"Something like…this?" Ranma asked and clapped his hands together. From his hands emerged flames that shoot to the roof.

The entire crowd gasped, but Ranma still managed to shout loud enough for everyone to hear, as he again levitated in midair. "Ladies and gentlemen! I apologize for the inconvenience. Please, tell all your friends and their mamas, that Ranma Saotome is back and in shape and ready to make his comeback!"

Suddenly, the sprinkler alarms went off and everyone got soaked. The crowd, already nervous of everything that had been happening, began screaming and complaining and heading out from the doors. Ranma had, once again, disappeared.

"Wait! Ladies and gentlemen, stay where you are! He is going to sneak past you to outside!" Kuno yelled, but uselessly. Even the most powerful vampire could not control a panicked crowd.

Amongst the people Akane also left the building. She was soaked and startled, and everyone who knew her knew it was a bad combination. She wondered briefly where Nabiki was, but had enough faith in her sister to come out unharmed. What most puzzled her were Ranma's actions. She had been under the impression that Ranma wanted to sneak in to investigate what Kuno was up to. So why arrange a spectacle like this?

Akane was so in thought that she accidentally bumped in to someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I…" she started but then she saw that the person in front of her was a young woman with red hair, green dress and a huge grin.

Ranma. Again as a woman.

"Ranma, you…" Akane said but was stopped.

"Easy now, Akane. Someone might hear. Call me Ranko, instead".

Akane seethed but refrained from making a scene. "Very well…Ranko. Mind telling me what the hell all of that was?"

"A mere distraction, my dear Watson, nothing more" Ranma said cheerfully.

Akane gaped at him. "A…a distraction?"

"Yes. Now they're all looking for me and not at all the real spy snooping around".

Akane simply stared at him/her.

"I did tell you there are more of us working against Kuno, didn't I?"

--

**In Kuno's office:**

Kuno was fuming with rage. "You can't find him?"

"I am sorry, Master" his servant Sasuke said "but he is no longer in the building. Also our security tapes show no one even barely resembling him either entering or leaving the building".

"Because he is level 1! For us fooling such things is easy enough. Tell me, did anyone get hurt. Our sponsors and stock holders are alright, I trust".

"They are, Master. No one was harmed or injured. Though they are all demanding explanations".

"That was to be expected" Kuno muttered.

Kuno's sister Kodachi, the Black Rose, barged into the office. "Brother, we have a serious problem, we…" she suddenly stopped. "What on earth do you have on your forehead?"

Kuno blinked and then felt his forehead. There was a small, hardly noticeable unless you had level 1 senses, writing there. Kuno remembered how Ranma's hand had been waving in front of his face for a moment. His face twisted with rage when he clearly felt what had been written on him.

_Baka._

There was a second of silence before Kodachi burst into a maniac laughter. Kuno was trembling with rage.

"When I get my hands on him he shall know the consequences of insulting me!"

"That may not be as easy as you'd think. Ranma is not someone to be taken lightly".

Both Kunos and their servant turned to see Minister Happosai who had just entered the room. The old little vampire looked visibly worried.

Kuno regarded him silently. "It's true then? He really is who he claims to be? THE Ranma Saotome? You are certain he is not some arrogant punk trying to make a name for himself?"

"You saw it for yourself, didn't you? His powers are definitely those of level 1. Body transformation, fire control… But most of all it was his attitude. From outside so childish, but still superior. It was Ranma alright".

"Need I remind you, Minister, that it was you who claimed that Saotome had died, now let's see, 71 years ago then?" Kuno asked icily.

The old vampire was visibly fidgeting. "I saw with my own eyes how his head was cut off and a long iron stake driven right through his heart. I don't know how it is possible, but…it is him. He survived".

"And now he is obviously after us. I came to tell you that someone has been in our private labs of fifth floor. We don't know who and apparently nothing was taken, but someone has been there" Kodachi said.

Kuno rubbed his brows. "And after shouting his name for all the world to hear, tomorrow police forces, Church of Jusenkyo and army will definitely be after him. We must get to him before others. We can't let him ruin our plans now that we are so close".

"But what should we do?" Happosai asked. "No ordinary mercenary, human or vampire, is match against him".

"We need someone more qualified than that. Someone who can take a level 1 down. Someone who is a real…demon" Kuno thought. Then his eyes lit up. "Sasuke!"

"Yes, Master?"

"Contact Taro!"

--

**Meanwhile in Paris, France**

The police had already secured the area, trying to prevent curios people from entering to the scene of the crime, which wasn't so hard since the said scene was inside a train compartment. An elder police inspector made his way to the scene. He took a moment to watch the three beheaded bodies on the ground.

"Vampires?" he asked.

"All three of them" crime scene investigator said. "Level 2. Judging from their clothes and personal items they were local delinquents. Muggers, robbers, maybe even dealers. Travel in night trains and terrorize lonely passengers".

"So, three level 2 criminal vampires were killed in a train. Was it a gang fight?"

"No, the wounds are too clean. Usually when level 2s fight against each others they go with bare hands, letting their instincts to take the lead. These heads were severed with sharp object, most probably a blade. Also, notice that there are no other wounds on their bodies. The killer attacked fast and professionally. A vampire hunter".

Inspector sighed. "Vampire communities are going to demand blood".

A younger police officer arrived. "Inspector, we have an eyewitness. She is in slight shock, the doctor is seeing her in the other compartment".

Without another word the inspector left to the other compartment.

The woman sitting there was pale and shivering, and her eyes told she had been crying.

"We shall take you to receive a proper checkout, but first, could you tell me what it is that happened here?"

The woman was quiet for a moment before she spoke. "It was the Asian man…"

"Asian?"

"I was missed the previous train, that's why I was here…even when I had heard that it's not safe. But I wasn't alone. He was here too".

"The Asian man?"

The woman nodded.

"Can you describe him?"

"He was young, very young. Maybe 20. His hair is long, very long, goes past his shoulders. He wore a robe…"

"A dress?"

"The oriental styled robe with long sleeves".

"What happened?"

"He was very nice. Smiled and talked with me. Then those three came. They started bothering us, telling us to give them our moneys or our lives. I was so scared. But he wasn't, didn't even flinch. He calmly told me to go to other compartment. Those three wouldn't have let me go, but he convinced them that he had something special. So I went…"

"…And?"

"He came to me a moment later and smiled nicely. He said they would not bother me anymore and wished me safe journey. He said he couldn't travel in train anymore so…so he jumped out…and I went to compartment…and I saw them…"

The inspector was silent for a long time. "Is there anything else?"

The woman sniffed. "I think he has bad eyesight".

"What?"

"He wore really dark glasses and walked confidently, but he said he couldn't see well and therefore asked me to describe to him a map…"

"What map?"

"I don't know. It was a countryside. A little village and a castle".

_Great, there's not many of those in France, _inspector thought. "Thank you. Officer will come to take your statement".

As the woman was taken away another police man approached the inspector. "Well, sir, what do you make of it?"

"I hope to God she is suffering from a trauma. Otherwise I'm going to have to report that our suspect is twenty years old Asian man in robes who is half-blind, carries blades and is a professional killer".

--

**Back in Nerima:**

Ranma and Akane had left the crowd behind and walking through quieter streets.

"Well, are you going to tell me more?" Akane asked impatiently.

"That depends. Do you really want to know?" Ranma asked half-teasingly in his female form.

"That's a nice one, considering how far you've already dragged me into this. Need I remind you that it was _you_ who came to my window, showed me the pills and told me all about Kuno?"

Now Ranma turned to her, his/her eyes very serious for change. "But this might be your last chance to turn back and pretend I and all this is just a dream. After I reveal more there is no return".

Akane was about to open her mouth when a sudden movement caught both of their attention. They turned to see a figure coming to their direction. It seemed to be a young woman, dressed in very tight clothes, with a long purple hair…

…and a mean looking whip in her hand.

"This is either really good or really bad" Ranma said.

**To be continued…**

**I know, I know, nothing happened. The whole freaking chapter just a huge tease, a mere step towards future happenings. Still, I hope you enjoyed it and will still review and read my next update. **

**Till then, have fun!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey. **

**My sincerest apologies of taking again this long. I really feel bad about it so there's no need to start all those "quicker updates" reviews that I get. What's been on my life? Well, I changed my job, my mother moved back to her, now remade, home (YAY for her) and I moved to the place she temporarily lived in after the fire. So I'm on my own now. You can imagine that it took time to get back to updating, and when I finally did, this chapter took me two weeks! **

**Better luck next time, eh?**

**Okay, thanks for the most wonderful reviews: My-name-is-foxglove, jdcocoagirl, tomboy26, TendoAkane92, Ningen Demonai, ranma girl 14, V EPSILON, Irena, Breeze13, Your Midnight Lullaby, SakuraJade (thanks for TWO amazing reviews!) and Mystical-Dreamer57. **

**Disclaimers: Rumiko yes, me no. **

CHAPTER 12

**Château Chardin, in Southern-France: **

Picolet Chardin III lay in his bed. It felt good to be back home, having slept the many days in Thailand in a coffin he had dragged with him. It was a good way to have protection during his sleep at journeys, since the coffin was designed unbreakable, but at home, protected by his bodyguards, he felt safe to lie in bed.

Picolet turned his head to see a small line of sunlight entering to his room from behind the window shields. Sunlight was a funny thing for vampires. It wasn't fatal for level 1s, but they usually felt more tired and slow during daylight hours. Level 2s on the other hand were burned the moment sunlight would touch them, but as long as they stayed away from it, they could still be as energetic as nighttime. Therefore the guards at Château Chardin were all level 2 vampires, protected from the sunlight by specially designed suits.

Feeling safe, Picolet let out a satisfied sigh.

--

**Outside:**

"I find it really annoying that you can't even consider the possibility".

Two level 2 guards, dressed in their special suits that hid every single spot of their skin from the sun, were standing in front of the servant's entrance, at the west side of Chateau's walls.

One of the guards sighed. "Look, I just find the idea of extra terrestrial life little hard to believe".

The other guard shook his head. "So let me get this straight: both of us were, still couple of years ago then, normal humans, but now we never age and will live forever, as long as we're not exposed to sunlight. Right?"

"Right".

"And yet, the idea that there might be life outside of this little planet in the vast universe is too much for you?"

"Aliens are just fiction".

"Vampires were thought fiction still a hundred years ago then!"

"Yeah but…"

Suddenly the guards fell silent as they felt a presence. Both turned to watch a silent side road from where a man was walking towards them. He was a young Asian man, with long black hair and dark sunglasses on his eyes. Most noticeable thing about him was his outfit: it was Chinese styled men's robe. The man was holding a map and was looking around him in confusion.

He slowly approached the guards.

"Um…excuse me" the man said with the most horrendous French the guards had ever heard. "I seem to be bit lost. Would you care to tell me how far am I from Chateau Chardin?"

Both guards glanced at each others. _Is this guy for real?_

Seeing that the stranger only seemed like a harmless human, one of the guards spoke. "This is it".

The Asian man smiled. "Merci" and waved his hand, as if to say bye bye.

The other guard watch in amazement as something flew very fast between the foreigner and his partner, and then his partners head fell from his shoulders. The guard took a fighting stance quickly, but the stranger was already moving, spinning his long sleeves.

A moment later, the other guard's head fell also.

--

A large explosion shook the castle's grounds.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Picolet Chardin demanded as he entered the control room.

"The castle is under attack, sir!" the captain of his guards informed him.

"What? Who is attacking us? How many and what level are they?"

The captain couldn't meet his employer's eyes. "Sir…as far as we know…we are attacked by one human".

Chardin stared at him. "…Pardon?"

"Our security cameras only show that one human killed two of our guards on the west side and then…apparently…climbed through the wall and threw some sort of an explosive to the grounds".

"To get you confused and unorganized, no doubt. And you idiots fell for it. Now, captain, are you going to let some human make a fool out of you or actually start to earn your paychecks?!" Chardin shouted with an annoyed voice.

"Don't you worry, sir. My men are already moving in on the intruder. We should be getting visual in a moment".

Chardin and captain watched the monitors. They could see their level 2 vampires moving to the entrance of the castle.

"I see our men, captain, but where is the intruder?"

Next minute, all the cameras blacked out.

"What is going on there? Answer me!" the captain shouted to his walkie-talkie while Chardin rubbed his temples.

"_Captain! The intruder is already inside the castle!_" voice from walkie-talkie reported.

"Can you tell his location?"

"_Negative. More of our men have fallen. It seems intruder is heading towards the Master's private rooms_".

"A foolish assassin, thinking killing me will be easier at daytime" Chardin concluded. Then he frowned. "Unless it's not me he is after but…"

Suddenly, Chardin looked panicked. "Captain, get your men to my office! They must protect the office!"

Few minutes later dozen of Chardin's men were guarding outside of the office. Chardin, his captain and two other level 2 vampire guards were inside the office, to which there was no windows. The only entrance was the door.

Chardin was opening his security vault. _I cannot let anyone get their hands on these files. _

"He's here!" a voice behind the door shouted. The next thing Chardin and others heard was gun firing.

And then silence. Chardin and the captain shared a glance and then captain nodded one of the guards to check the situation.

He had hardly gotten the door open when a huge blade pierced through his head. Next instant the door crashed to pieces and the intruder all but flew in. His huge sleeves swung from side to side and the other guard in the room lost his head also.

"You insolent…!" captain barked and bared his fangs. He jumped across the room towards the intruder…

…and fell to four pieces to the floor.

The intruder turned then to look at Chardin. Neither of them moved, just eyed each others.

"Impressive" Chardin finally said to break the silence. "You move far faster than a normal human could. And you use weapons specially designed to slay a vampire. Especially impressive is how all of your weapons are hidden in your sleeves".

"You noticed" intruder stated.

"You might fool level 2s, but you don't move fast enough for me not to notice, though you are very fast in hiding your weapons back to your sleeves. What are you using? Magical slayer blades that are attached to chains? Silver daggers and wires bathed in holy waters of China?"

The intruder didn't let anything show on his face.

"You can't get weapons like that from downtown stores. Also your movements are not that of a street vigilante. You are trained, professionally. I recognize Jusenkyo training anywhere".

For a moment intruder's face seemed to show something like anger, but it was gone instantly.

Chardin chuckled. "I've heard of you, Mousse. The blind slayer. The wanderer who leaves corpses of vampires wherever he goes. Formerly known as Mu Tzu, a gifted priest fighting for the Church of Jusenkyo. But the Church banished you and denied you, when your methods became too questionable".

"You are well informed, Picolet Chardin the Third. Then you also know that the Church will take no responsibility of anything I've done or will do. But enough of pleasantries. I know much about you also, except one thing. What is it you are doing for Kuno?"

Chardin's eyes turned to momentarily look at the safety box that was already open. He turned deliberately slowly and took files out of it.

"All you need to know are in these files" Chardin said.

Then Chardin opened his mouth and his jaw suddenly stretched out, growing longer and longer, until his mouth was so huge that he could easily put the files inside and swallow. Moment later his mouth was normal again.

Mousse's face finally showed something. Astonishment.

"If you want them, come and get them" Chardin smiled.

Mousse moved his head slightly. "I had heard stories of Chardin family special abilities. But nicknames like _Big Mouth _and _Gluttony _didn't exactly sound too serious".

"And by not taking them seriously…you lose".

And with that Chardin charged through the room. Mousse reacted quickly and two blades attached to chains flew from his sleeves. Chardin evaded one, but the other one went through his shoulder. Still, he gave no cry, just plunged right towards Mousse, grabbed him by his robes and threw him out of the same door he had just come into.

Chardin turned his attention next to remove the blade from his shoulder, which was indeed blessed and burned badly, but didn't have time to do anything, when Mousse used his chain to pull Chardin also out of the office, taking the level 1 completely by surprise.

Chardin blinked in confusion when he found himself in the hallway, the floor filled with his recently deceased guards. With a flick of his wrist Mousse released the blade from Chardin's shoulder and made it return to his sleeve, along with the other one. The young Asian man turned swiftly and plunged through the window, despite of being on third floor.

Like a cat he fell to his feet to the Chateau's green yard, only to have Chardin appear close to him and give him a kick that made him go flying.

Chardin laughed. "Were you counting on the sunlight? True, it does weaken me a bit, but I am a level 1. I am a pureblood! It's not fatal to me!"

Mousse rolled on ground but pushed himself quickly back on his feet. Blades shot out of his sleeves ones more, this time more of them. Chardin evaded them and easily ripped the chains.

"You won't be using those anymore" he said and charged again towards Mousse. Asian man as pinned down to the ground with a powerful grip on his throat.

"Foolish peasant. You really thought you could challenge me. I think I'll eat your head".

Again Chardin's jaw stretched out, making his mouth huge like a shark's. Mousse could smell the bad breath on his face.

"I was wondering if you'll do that again" he smiled.

Mousse suddenly stretched his hand right in front of the open mouth and shot something out of his sleeve.

_He still has something there?!_

Chardin backed out and hurriedly closed his mouth, but not before he felt some sort of a liquid going down his throat.

And then there was the pain. Chardin's face turned purple, his whole body started to tremble and there was bloody foam coming from his mouth.

"Silver liquid, with some garlic to give it a taste" Mousse explained as he calmly got to his feet and patted his robes. "Not exactly fatal for level 1 either, but it does hurt like hell".

Chardin had fallen to the ground, his arms and legs twitching, still foaming and shooting daggers at Mousse from his eyes.

"You are right, though. Taking on a level 1, even if during daylight, is very dangerous and stupid. That's why I studied you. I read and heard about you, Picolet Chardin, and the picture I got of you proved to be right. You are still young and hot headed. Arrogant and way too big mouthed, pardon the pun. I only needed to hurt you little with that wound on your shoulder and then make it easy for you to disarm me, you would make an easy opening for my attack. Yet, I didn't think it would be literally".

Mousse picked one of his blades from the ground and walked to Chardin. He quickly cut all four limbs away. Chardin gave muffled cry.

"Now, we both know that you regenerate those back, but if I cut your heart or head, well it's a different story. There will be no more healing. Think about that when I'll ask you if you'd like to talk".

Then Mousse raised his blade.

"But first I need to get those files back".

**To be continued…**

**I hate writing action. Pity that I love Ranma and vampires enough to want to make this fic. Oh well, next time we'll return to Nerima to see where I left Ranma, Akane and Shampoo. I just wanted to make this Mousse introduction now. **

**Till next time! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everyone! Lookie, a new update! Didn't take two months this time, eh? **

**Thanks for the amazing reviews: Mystical-Dreamer57, Me, Naomi, tomboy 26, TendoAkane92, Beauty Eclipsed, Libri Ignis, SakuraJade, Irena, aquamarinegirl and Pinkbun17! You guys are simply awesome!**

**Little shorter chapter than usual, I'm afraid. I'm going on a week vacation you see and wanted to update before that both this and my other fic. **

**Disclaimers: see previous chapters. **

CHAPTER 13

**The Japanese HQ of the Church of Jusenkyo, Nerima City**

The Mother Superior, Cologne, sat in her office, in front of several monitors. She was in the middle of a session with the Elder's Council that consisted of several important and influencal people, human and vampires alike. Ministers, state men and military officers had gathered to speak via lines about the yesterday's situation. Tatewaki Kuno's face was in one of the monitor's and he had just finished retelling what had happened. Minister Happosai, whose face Cologne saw from another monitor, had confirmed Kuno's story.

"Ku Lon" a voice spoke to Cologne. It belonged to the only human capable of pronouncing Cologne's name correctly and exceeding her in age: the current Empress of Japan.

"Your Majesty" Cologne acknowledged.

"I am under the impression, that mere minutes after the incident, one of the sisters confronted the said vampire outside of Kuno's building. Am I correct?"

"Yes, your Majesty".

"Then may we hear what happened?"

Cologne turned to summon Shampoo inside the room.

"Your name, child?" the Empress asked, her wrinkled face stern and eyes hidden by shadows.

"Xian Pu, your Majesty".

"Xian Pu" Empress pronounced without mistakes "please tell us, what happened last night".

"I was patrolling near the Kuno institute where the fund raiser party was been held…" Shampoo started.

"Excuse me but why where you there?" Kuno asked from his monitor.

Shampoo didn't blink an eye when answering "Coincidence". Truth was Jusenkyo church had expected the suspect vampire to appear near Kuno. They knew Kuno was financing criminal vampire King who had disappeared as well as hired the recently died mercenaries called the Golden Pair. However, since no actual evidence existed, the slimy bugger took care of them, Shampoo couldn't say that out loud.

"I arrived to institute when I heard a huge commotion and saw several people coming outside. It was there that I spotted a suspicious vampire".

"How come he was suspicious?" the Empress asked.

"Because he was in a fake form of a young red haired woman".

A murmuring was heard from several monitors. "How did you know it was a fake form?"

Both Shampoo and Cologne looked to see who had asked that. They saw the face of a young man in one of the monitors, who had long white hair and purple eyes that seemed to challenge them. He was merely known as Herb and, despite of his young age, he had quickly risen to power as the Archbishop of Nerima and supreme commander of Japan's human military. He was known to have a rather ruthless nature against his enemies, and absolute hatred towards vampires in general.

"As a part of the intense Jusenkyo training we are trained to notice fake forms when we are close to them. You could say we see this foggy aura around a vampire in false form" Shampoo answered to the young Archbishop.

"So you noticed a suspicious vampire. What then happened?"

"I followed him and a human woman he was with to an alley…"

--

"_This is either really good or really bad" Ranma said. _

_Shampoo walked slowly towards him and Akane. She kept her favorite weapon, the Jusenkyo whip, in her hand. _

"_In the name of the Jusenkyo Church, I order you to reveal your true form, vampire" Shampoo said. _

_Akane heard Ranma curse with his female voice. "Jusenkyo warrior. I hate these people, they're so persistent. Like a computer virus, once you get it it's bloody hard to get rid of". _

"_I will not ask twice" Shampoo warned, preparing her whip. _

"_You should run" Ranma said to Akane. _

"_You can't go and kill her. Jusenkyo would turn the whole town upside down to find you" Akane stepped forward. _

"_I won't kill her, just spank a little. Now will you leave or do I have to throw off again?"_

_Shampoo couldn't quite hear what they were whispering but she could see how Akane started to walk away with a deep frown on her face. Ranma started to walk towards her. _

"_Stop!" Shampoo commanded. Ranma didn't obey. _

_Training took over and Shampoo charged against Ranma. She smiled as she caught Ranma's arm with her whip. It was made of special material that was known to hurt even the most thick-skinned vampire and reveal their true forms. The moment it made contact with Ranma's hand, his womanly appearance disappeared like smoke to the air, and his true form, as well as clothes, was seen._

_Also the whip immediately burned his arm, even through his jacket sleeve. _

_What Shampoo had not expected was Ranma to, despite the pain, take hold of the whip and pull the surprised Jusenkyo hunter towards him. She quickly got over her shock and, instead of letting go of the whip, jumped up in the air landing a vicious kick to Ranma's head. He gave no sign that the hit would have caused him any pain, but was clearly taken aback by it. _

_Shampoo tried to use the opportunity to tie her whip more firmly around him, but Ranma squirmed away from her like an eel. He then jumped to the wall of a building next to them and stayed there defying gravity. _

"_Sorry, but no bondage games during first dates" Ranma spoke down to her. _

_Shampoo wasn't in the mood for a witty comeback. She charged again, jumping and moving so fast that to an untrained eye it looked she was walking the wall up. Ranma however, kept away from her reach. _

"_Even for a Jusenkyo warrior your capability of keeping up with me is astonishing. I bet you must be the best of your generation, probably related to some grand-master" Ranma said, more to himself than actually praising her. _

"_However" he added, "I'm afraid I really don't have time for this. I have people to meet, bastards to destroy. However, I'm sure I'll meet you again, purple". _

_Suddenly Ranma was right in front of her and with a little push, she found herself falling down to the concrete floor. To keep herself unharmed she had to take her attention away from the vampire. Shampoo landed to the street with a catlike grace, and fell the presence behind her too late. _

_Last thing she saw before falling unconscious was the human woman, who had stayed watching them. _

--

"… I woke up an hour later in the gutter. Neither of them had left any traces to follow".

"I see. Thank you, Xian Pu" the Empress said to her. She then spoke to all "Now then, what do we know of Ranma Saotome?"

Cologne was first to speak. "Not very much, your Majesty. His name does come up few times in some of the unsolved cases in the history of the Jusenkyo Church, but not enough for us to tell where he comes from, how old he is and all of that. According to Mr. Kuno's testimony Saotome is a pureblood vampire, but we have no clues what clan he comes from. Truth is, the last record of him was made for over hundred years ago then, and according to it he died".

"Died?"

"Yes, your Majesty. According to our records, Ranma Saotome met his end at the hands of our Jusenkyo warriors in the year of 1897 in Eastern Europe. He was caught, chained, beheaded and an iron stake was driven through his heart".

The Empress was silent for a moment. "Minister Happosai, in vampire circles there must be more information of him. Share with us".

Happosai cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, the Ranma Saotome of hundred years ago then was nothing less of a monster, even by vampire standards. Back then we tried to keep our existence hidden from humans. We worked from the shadows, never directly affecting the lives of humans. It wasn't uncommon that vampires of lower class feasted on humans, but Saotome was… is a level 1, and the destruction and massacre he left behind jeopardized our entire race. By the end of the 19'Th century we knew that sooner or later humans would find out about us and we couldn't let Saotome still do what he pleased. So we arranged Jusenkyo hunters to find him. And it was good thing, since it was less than a decade later in 1906 that our existence was exposed".

"So is that why he recognized you? Do you think he is back for revenge?"

"I honestly cannot say, Your Majesty. Saotome was never easy to read".

Empress frowned. "Are you certain this is the same Saotome we are talking about? I have never heard of a vampire, even of a pureblood one, who could survive beheading".

"I cannot understand it either, Your Majesty, but it is him" Happosai said.

There was a moment of silence before the Empress spoke again. "Ku Lon".

"Yes, Your Majesty" she answered.

"This is my order. Find this vampire who goes by the name of Ranma Saotome. Find him and bring him in. If that proves to be impossible, you are allowed to use lethal force".

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty", Archbishop Herb spoke, "my highly trained military troops are also on your command".

Cologne frowned. She knew Herb liked nothing more than an excuse to wipe out as many vampires as possible. It was people like him who made living in peace difficult for the two races.

"Thank you, Archbishop, but I doubt it will be necessary to turn the entire city to a battlefield just to find a one vampire" Empress said sternly.

Look of anger passed Herb's young face but he masked it quickly. "As you command, Your Majesty".

--

"So, did they buy it?"

Tatewaki Kuno had just closed his monitor, ending the meeting, when his sister asked the question.

"Of course they did. Right now they think Saotome is a mindless killing machine that has to be taken care of at once. Since he came public let Jusenkyo and Herb worry about him. After all, it does take their attention away from us" he smirked.

Kodachi Kuno lay lazily on a couch, a fine glass of blood on her hand. "What about they find the pills he still has? Also we don't know who broke into our facility laboratories last night, but someone did".

Kuno rubbed his eyelids. "That's not the only problem. I got a phone call this morning from France. Picolet Chardin is dead".

Kodachi raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Apparently someone killed him and all of his guards in the middle of a bright day".

"Well, he did seem somewhat all talk and no action really" Kodachi smirked but then sobered. "What about any records of the business we did in Thailand?"

"Probably taken. Too many consequences, we must haste the plan. It's too late to turn back this point anymore".

A chilling smile appeared to Kodachi's face. "In that case you do the necessary arrangements and I'll take care of Ranma".

"You? Why should you? I already said the Church is after him".

"They couldn't take care of him a century ago, why would they succeed now? Besides it's been a while since I've had any real fun".

Kuno humped. "Fine, do whatever you like. Just leave the planning to me".

Kodachi left smirking, watching her brother from the corner of her eye. _My idiot brother is still under the illusion that he is running this show. _

**To be continued…**

**If anyone is wondering why I gave Shampoo whip instead of those things she usually uses in Ranma ½ manga, I have only one thing to say: catwoman. **

**Next time back to Akane, probably Ranma also and we'll get to really meet Dr. Tofu. Till then!**


	14. Authors Note

**Well hello. How many still remembers me? **

**That's okay, I kind of forgot myself also. **

**So it has been what, over a year now since I last updated this fic? What can I say? Shit happened. **

**Writers block, other things in life and complete loss of interest are just few things that kept me from coming back to this story. Ultimately when I took a look of what I had written so far, I started to become simply disgusted what I saw. **

**I would like to apologize to all who read and/or reviewed this story and who, it seems, actually liked it also. There will not become update any day soon, at least not in this current form. **

**I recently read this fic through and I came to conclusion that I did have an idea in there, an idea that I really liked, but I lost in excitement of trying to make this story unnecessary complicated. **

**I would like to someday return to this fic, but if and when that happens, it would be a complete rewrite from the beginning, making this story as I should have meant it to become in the first place, and not have unnecessary side plots. **

**So once more, I'm sorry to have let you down, but there will be no updates for this fic anymore. **

**When the time is right I will hopefully start to work on a complete re-write of this story. Maybe you will even read it then. **

**This will not however happen in near future. **

**So once more, I'm sorry, and I hope if we'll ever get there you'll come back to read the, hopefully improved, redesign of this story. **

**Until such time, stay well. **

**And once more, I am sorry, if I let anyone down. **


End file.
